510 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



Fastened to the sides of the sledge near the back are 

 two sets of bone harness, which are used for attaching 

 the reins of the first and fourth deer of the next sledge in 

 the caravan, and which has no driver, and forcing these 

 deer to keep the same pace with the leading or driven 

 sledge. In the caravans two deer only are generally 

 used for the lighter laden sledges, while four seems the 

 usual number in the travelling sledges. These plain 

 pieces of bone are represented in Figs. 11 and lib, and 

 are similar to those used in the leading sledge. 



We received the Samoyede names of these pieces of 

 bone, which in case of inaccuracies I did not give at the 

 time in my journal, but added them afterwards under the 

 Figures. 



The only other articles connected with the harness- 

 sledges are the long poles used in driving, which have 

 bone rings fastened at the small end, plain generally, but 

 some carved (Figs. 12, 13). 



I ought to have mentioned that the collar and saddle 

 are made usually of tanned leather when procurable, but 

 untanned leather is used for the rest of the harness, 

 whilst the rein is plaited or twisted and the traces have 

 the hair still remaining on. 



The chooms we saw were two in number, and were 

 placed a few yards apart, with their entrances towards 

 the sledges ; and the smoke from the fire inside slowly 

 issued from the apex of the cone, or space at the junction 

 of the poles left for its exit. 



There were no deer in sight, and the only sign of life 

 outside the chooms was the bark of one of the doggies. 

 .On approaching nearer one of the brothers made his 

 appearance and began cutting wood, and we proceeded to 

 examine the sledges and the chooms. 



There were thirty smooth, slender, straight poles of 

 birch-wood in one choom and the same number, or about 



