52 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



dried " saida," 1 " rouble" to 1 "rouble" 20 " kopecks," (70 cents to 

 84 cents gold ;) cod-liver oil, 2 " roubles " to 2 " roubles " 20 " kopecks," 

 (81.40 to $1.54;) dried cod-fish heads, 10 " kopecks," (7 cents,) 



2. — FISHERIES AT NOVAYA-ZEMLYA. 



Between the years 1830 and 1840, Novaya-Zemlya was visited by con- 

 siderable numbers of " pomortsi," inhabitants of Mezene, and fishermen 

 from the Gulf of the Petshora, and every year large sailing-vessels 

 brought thence rich cargoes of salmon or trout, of seals and walruses. 

 After that, the product of the fisheries and of the chase diminished ; 

 the animals left their usual places of abode and removed to others less 

 accessible. The fishermen consequently ceased going to Novaya-Zemlya, 

 so that in 1850 and 1SG0 only five vessels sailed for that group of islands. 



The northern island of JSTovaya-Zemlya is most frequented by fisher- 

 men, while those who have strong and well-equipped vessels venture 

 as far north as Matoschkine. The arrangements are made so as to ar- 

 rive toward the end of June at Novaya-Zemlya, where the fishermen 

 commence their work by hunting the seals and the walrus, and after- 

 ward devote themselves to fishing for the common trout, the variety 

 called Salmo alpinus, which the Eussians call "golets." This little fish, 

 which only weighs four pounds, enters the rivers in large numbers dur- 

 ing the spawning-season, when it is caught by means of small bars and 

 leaps. They are fished for in the sea with seines and stationary nets. 

 Every boat usually contains three seines aud six stationary nets. The 

 "golets" fishery is always productive; for during its stay in these lati- 

 tudes, every boat catches about 300 " ponds" (10,800 pounds) of this 

 fish. A " poud " (36 pounds) of salted " golets " costs 3 " roubles," ($2.10.) 

 In 1830, and during the three following years this fishery was so extraor- 

 dinarily abundant that the fishermen were obliged to throw a large 

 number of " golets " into the sea, because tbey had not salt enough. In 

 1852, the fisheries were also productive ; the stationary nets contained 

 on an average 20 " ponds " (720 pounds) of this fish, and one fisherman 

 caught 480 " pouds" (17,280 pounds) in a single day. 



The u golets" fishery ceases in the middle of August, and the fisher- 

 men sail for the " Iron Gate," the narrow channel which separates the 

 northern island of Novaya-Zemlya from the island of Vaigatck, where 

 they hunt the walrus. 



The fishermen always try to be at home again in September; most of 

 them dread the idea of spending the winter in Novaya-Zemlya, on account 

 of its severe and unhealthy climate, Some men, however, from the Gulf 

 of the Petshora, always spend the winter there. 



The species sought. — Seven different kinds of animals living in the 

 sea are hunted on the northern coast of Eussia for their fat and their 

 skin. These are the "nerpa," (Phoca anneallta and Phoca vitulina, L,;) 

 the "zayats," (Phoca barbata, Nils.;) the "lysoune," (Phoca grcenlandica, 

 Mull. ;) the " tevyak," (Cystophora cristata, Nils.;) the " morje," (Trichccus 



