29: 



THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 



[chap. 



the Kremlin of Moscow, or the bells of Kiev. For such a 

 journey a sufficient number of dogs are harnessed to a long line, 

 one end of which is fastened to the stem of the boat. The dogs 

 then go along the level bank, where they make actual foot- 

 paths. The boat being of light draught is kept afloat at a 

 sufficient distance from land partly by means of the rudder 

 which is managed by a person sitting in the stem of the boat, 

 and partly by poling from the fore. Small boats are often 

 hollowed out of a single tree-stem, and may notwithstanding, 

 thanks to the size which some of the pines attain in those 



FISHING BOATS ON THE OB. 



(After a Photograph.) 



regions, be very roomy, and of a very beautiful shape. The 

 dogs strongly resemble the Eskimo dogs in Greenland, which 

 are also used as draught animals. 



Most of the natives who have come into close contact with the 

 Russians are said to profess the Christian religion. That many 

 heathen customs, however, still adhere to them is shown, among 

 other things, by the following incident : At a simovie where we 

 landed for some hours on the 16th Sept. we found, as is common, 

 a burying-place in the forest near the dwelling houses. The 

 corpses were placed in large coffins above ground, at which 



