SIBERIA. 155 



on fire, drive away the insects by their dense smoke. They are placed 

 both in their pastures and near the houses, so that the inhabitants pass 

 the whole of the musquetoe season in a cloud of smoke. 



But every poison has its antidote ; the ills of life are disguised bless- 

 ings ; and the musquetoes are a blessing to the Siberian, for they drive 

 the rein-deer from the dense forest into the cool open sea coast, where 

 he falls an easy prey to the hunter. In addition to this the musquetoes 

 confine the horses, which graze in the large plains or tundras without 

 enclosures, within the influence of the smoke of the dymokuries. 



How, it may be asked, do the inhabitants of such a wretched cli- 

 mate live ? To them there is neither seed-time nor harvest. The sonw 

 of the reaper is not heard, nor tlie shout of him who treadeth the grape.s. 

 Here in truth vegetable existence has found its grave, and the eartli in 

 vestal innocence knows not to be fruitful. But this poverty of vegeta- 

 tion has been amply compensated by the rich abundance of animal life. 

 Tlie upland forests are filled with elks, bears, foxes, sables, grey-squir- 

 rels, and innumerable herds of rein-deer, whilst stone foxes and wolves 

 roam over the low-lands. Immense flocks of geese, ducks, and swans 

 arrive in the spring season seeking a moulting-place, whilst the snipe 

 and the ptarmigan run along the low bushes and in the moi asses. The 

 ocean opens its inexhaustless store-house for their benefit, and brino-s 

 within their control the monsters of the deep, from the huge whale, who, 

 in his fury, lashes the sea into foam, to the herring, whose countless 

 myriads annually visit these inhospitable shores. 



From these seas so chill and ungenial, yet overflowing with a vast 

 super-abundance of animal life, temperate regions are supplied. About 

 .Tanuary, immense bands of herrings break up from their frozen depths, 

 and visit the various bays and rivers of the oceans, until July, when by 

 an unknown impulse they halt and begin to retrace their course to llieir 

 northern home. On their return to the ice of the north, which is ef- 

 fected during the month of September, immense shoals of them begin 

 to ascend the now opened rivers of Siberia. Almost all the population 

 then hasten to the favorite spots for catching them. Upon tlie supply 

 thus taken depends in a great degree, not only their comfort, but their 

 very existence. In the month of June already, are the rivers open for 

 the operations of the fisherman. The larger species, as the sturgeon, 

 a large kind of salmon, and a species called tsc/iir among others, are 

 tlien taken. Whilst the diilerent fisheries are in operation, the swans, 

 geese and ducks are moulting and brmging out their young broods on 

 the lakes. As soon as the birds arrive, some of the fishermen are .sent 

 to watch their nests. At tir^l a kw eif^s onlv are taken, which are 



