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Just then, a tall man arrives. He is wearing a large fur hat and a large fur coat.

This is our chief, says one of the Bashkirs.

Packham goes to the cart at once. He takes out a beautiful coat and five pounds of tea.

He gives these to the chief. The chief takes them and sits down.

Some of the Bashkirs come near him and whisper in his ear.

The chief listens. Then he says, I agree.

The chief turns to Packham and says,

Choose whatever piece of land you like. We will sell it to you. We have plenty land.

What is the price? asks Packham.

Our price is always the same, says the chief. The price is 500 rubles a day.

Packham does not understand, he says.

How can the price be 500 rubles a day? The chief laughs.

It is easy, he says. We sell the land by the day.

You can have all the land that you can walk around in a day. The price is 500 rubles.

Packham is surprised. He can walk around a large piece of land in a day and 500 rubles is not too much money.

He has 500 rubles in his pocket. Packham says,

But in a day I can walk around a very large piece of land.

The chief laughs, he says. And it will be yours. The chief stops laughing.

But there is one thing, he says. You must return back before the day is over.

If you can't, you lose your money.

The rules are simple, continues the chief.

Here is a shovel. Take it with you. Start at any place you like.

As you walk along, dig some holes. They will tell us where you walk.

Packham is very happy.

I will leave in the morning, he says. But Packham cannot sleep.

He keeps thinking about the land. He thinks,

I will walk around a very large piece of land. I can walk 30 or 35 miles in a day.

I will have a huge piece of land. I'll sell some of the land and I'll rent some of it to farmers.

But I'll keep the best land for myself. That's where I'll have my farm.

Packham thinks about the land all night. He finally falls asleep just before dawn.

He dreams that he is lying in his tent and someone is laughing outside.

The chief is laughing loudly.

In his dream, Packham asks the chief. Why are you laughing?

But the chief does not answer. Packham looks closely at the chief.

Then Packham sees, it is not the chief. It is the traveler.

The traveler is laughing loudly. The laughter grows louder and louder.

Packham suddenly wakes up. That is a strange dream. Packham thinks to himself.

He looks around and sees that it is early in the morning.

It's time to wake up my helper, he thinks. We must leave now.

He gets up and goes outside. He wakes up the helper.

Then he goes to call the bash gears.

It's time to go for the land, Packham says.

The bash gears are ready and they start to walk. Packham carries the shovel in his hand.

They walk two hours and they come to the top of a hill.

Look down there, the chief says. Everything you can see is ours.

You may have whatever land you want.

Packham is very happy. He can see that it is a wonderful land.

The chief takes off his fur hat. He puts it on the ground.

This will be the starting point, he says. Right here, he touches the hat with his foot.

This is where you will start, says the chief. And this is where you must finish.

Walk wherever you like. All the land that you walk around in a day will be yours.

But keep in mind, you must return to this spot before the sun sets.

Packham takes out his 500 rubles. He puts them on the hat.

Then the helper walks toward Packham. He gives Packham some bread and some water.

Packham puts the bread into the pocket of his pants. He pushes the bottle of water inside his belt.

He is ready to start.