ARCHANGEL 179 



fortable wigwams, with a chamber only used for guests 

 and for purposes of hospitality. 



The two families we saw live always here, and gain 

 a living by begging in the town, or working when work 

 can be had. Our walk was well worth our while, as we 

 thereby gained a slight insight into the habits of a people, 

 the most savage in Europe, with whom we may perhaps 

 on some future occasion make a nearer and longer 

 acquaintance. 



At the slaughter-houses was a large flock of filthy 

 Kavens, of which I shot one, which stank as badly as 

 the offal upon which they were feeding. The ground 

 behind the town is a marshy moor covered with ' marou- 

 shka ' (cloudberry), Betula nana, heath, and small bushes 

 and trees. A Common Snipe was all we saw besides the 

 Ravens. 



July 29. 



On Monday, the '29th of July, we went down to 

 Solombola, and bought a glutton's and a lynx's skin 

 for five and seven roubles. Then in the town we bought 

 a few curios, but could not get any of the ivory models 

 of the Samoyede huts, as all had been sent to Moscou 

 for exhibition. 



July 30. 



On Tuesday, the 30th of July, the old savage and his 

 squaw, the latter in all her barbaric splendour, dress 

 picturesque but not elegant, visited us. We then went 

 to the Museum with Piottuch, writing our list of species 

 wanted. 



In the evening, at the Club, we entertained Shergold, 

 Birse, Eoller, Piottuch, and Gellermann to a little dinner, 

 which was a great success. Shergold sang like a nightin- 

 gale, and sent to his house for some Kuhlenbacher — 

 dark-brown beer — which was very good, the other liquors 

 being wretched. 



