144 Journey io ihc FrGxen Sea, and 



want of stirrups, which are never used among the Toun- 

 gouses. 



On our route we traversed high and rugged mountains, 

 valleys v.hich followed the course of small rivulets, and 

 parched and savage plains, where not a shrub was to be 

 seen. After two davs travelling, we at last approached the 

 shores of the Frozen Sea. This place is called by the Toun- 

 couses Ancrardam, or terra firnia. In order to attain. the 

 mammcth. it was necessarv to traverse another isthmus, 

 called Bykoflskoy-Mys c Tvmiut. This isthmus, which 

 projects into a spacious gulf, is to the right of the mouth of 

 the Lena, and expends, as I was informed, from South-east 

 to North-east lor about 30 or 35 wersts*. Its nairjc is pro- 

 bably derived from two points in the form of horns, which 

 are at the North extremity of this promontory. The point 

 upon the left hand, which the-Russians call by way of emi- 

 nence Bykoffiskoy-Mvs, on account of its greater extent, 

 forms three va t gulfs, where wc find some scttlem^'nts of 

 Jakouts; the opposite point, called Maustach on account of 

 the great quantity of floating wood found upon its shores, is 

 one half smaller; its shore is lower, and this district is com- 

 pletely inhabited. The distance from the one point to the 

 other is estimated at four leagues and a half, or 43 wersts. 

 Small hills form the higher part of the peninsula of Tumut; 

 the remainder is occupied by lakes, and all the low grounds 

 are marshy. 



The principal lakes are : 1st, Chastlrkool, whi ch means 

 the lake of geese; 2d, Kourilakool ; sd, Beulgeuniachtach- 

 kool, the lake of hillocks; 'Jth, Omoulachkocil; 5lh, Mou- 

 gourdachkool, where a particular kind of salmon is found, 

 galled tchir; and 6th, Bachofkool. The lake No. 4 is the 

 largest, and No. 3 is the deepest of all. The lake No. 6 

 derives its name from two famous adventurers, BachofFand 

 Schalauroun, who spent a whole winter on its banks. We 

 still sec the ruins of a cabin in which they resided. The 

 history of their unfortunate end is told by M. Sauer in his 

 Journal oF B.llings's expedition. 



• 10 wersts are equal to (S luigl'^Ii geographicil KiiJes, 



The 



