110 THE LENA DELTA 



scending the hills from the north-west and crossing the 

 plain on their way to the forests, where they spend the 

 winter. Both bodies of deer extended further than the 

 eye could reach, and formed a compact mass, narrow- 

 ing towards the front. They moved slowly and majes- 

 tically along, their broad antlers resembling a moving 

 wood of leafless trees. Each body was led by a deer of 

 unusual size, which my guides assured me was always a 

 female. One of the herds was stealthily followed by a 

 wolf, who was apparently watching for an opportunity 

 of seizing any one of the younger and weaker deer 

 which might fall behind the rest, but on seeing us he 

 made off in another direction. The other column was 

 followed at some distance by a large black bear, who, 

 however, appeared only intent on digging out a mouse's 

 nest every now and then, so much so that he took no 

 notice of us. We had great difficulty in restraining 

 our two dogs, but happily succeeded in doing so ; their 

 barking, or any sound or motion on our part, might 

 have alarmed the deer, and by turning them from their 

 course, have proved a terrible misfortune to the hun- 

 ters, who were awaiting their passage, on which they 

 are entirely dependent for support. We remained for 

 two hours whilst the herds of deer were passing by, 

 and then resumed our march." 



The way in which the deer are dealt with by the 

 hunters was seen by Matiuschkin when despatched by 

 Wrangell to survey the Anyui. " The true harvest, 

 which we arrived just in time to see, is in August or 

 September, when the reindeer are returning from the 

 plains to the forests. They are then healthy and well 

 fed, the venison is excellent, and as they have just 



