viii CONTENTS 



CHAPTER IV. 



SLEDGING TO UST-ZYLMA. 



Bad Roads — Postal Service in Winter and Summer — Changeable Weather — 

 Scenery — Pinega and Kuloi Rivers — Snow Plains— The Forests — Birds — 

 Samoyedes — Mezen— A Polish Exile — Snow-Buntings — Jackdaws — We leave 

 Mezen— Scenery— The Mezen River— The Pizhma — Bad State of the Roads— 

 Piottuch's Accident — The Via Diabolica — Bolshanivagorskia — Break up of the 

 Road — Polish Prejudices — The Villages — Curiosity of the Peasants — Greek 

 Crosses — Love of Ornament — Employment and Amusements — Samoyedes — 

 Siberian Jays — Umskia — First View of the Petchora — Arrival at Ust-Zylma 



Pp. 21-35 



CHAPTER V. 



UST-ZYLMA. 



Ust-Zylma — Its Streets and Houses — Its Manure — Population of the Town — Its 

 Churches— Our Quarters— The Banks of the River— The Old Believers— Their 

 Superstition — Silver Crosses — Hospitality of the Officials — Shooting-parties — 

 Captain Arendt and Captain Engel — Snow-shoes— Scarcity of Birds — The 

 Snow-bunting — Redpolls — Winter Pp. 36-47 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE ZYLMA AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 



The Samoyedes — Reindeer — The Tundra — Nomad Life — Diseases of Reindeer — 

 Samoyede National Character — Trip to Umskia — Bad Roads — Paucity of 

 Birds — Easter Holidays — Drunkenness — Heavy Snowfall — Our First Bird's- 

 nest — Excursion to an Island in the River .... Pp. 48-54 



CHAPTER VII. 



THE SA.\fOYEDES. 



Trip to Habariki — Samoyedes — Lassoing Reindeer- — Dogs of the Natives — 

 Samoyede Sledges — Reindeer Harness — The Chooms — Samoyede Hospitality 

 — Marriage Ceremonies — Funeral Rites — Religion . . . Pp. 55-67 



CHAPTER VIII. 



LIFE IN UST-ZYLMA. 



May-day — Snow-buntings — Jackdaws — Game — Birds of Prey — Sunday at Ust- 

 Zylma — A Fire — Marriage Ceremony — Tenure of Land — The Commune — 

 Preparations for Summer ........ Pp. 68-74 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE ADVENT OF SUMMER. 



Mild Weather — Bear-tracks — Saddle of Bear — First Rain — Six New Migratory 

 Birds — Magpie's Eggs — Cessation of the Winter Frost — Return of Winter — 

 A Wild-goose Chase — Cachets — Night on the Banks of the Petchora— The 

 Silent Forest .... ..... Pp. 75-81 



