ANCIENT CHURCH OK THP: OLD BELIEVERS 



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. 



Ust-Zylma * is a long, straggling" village, lying on the 

 narrow strip of flat land on the north and east bank of 

 the Petchora, where that river makes a sudden bend 

 from west to north, about 300 miles from its mouth. 

 Each homestead is a farmhouse with outbuildings, 



* In " Purchas his Pilgrimes," the narrative of the voyage of Josias Logan, 

 who wintered in the valley of the Petchora in 1611, contains the following 

 description of this town : " Ust-Zylma is a village of some thirtie or fortie houses, 

 and standeth in the height of 66° and 30 minutes. They have corne growing 

 there, both barley and rye, and their barley is passing faire and white almost as 

 rice. ' ' 



