Discovery of the Remains of a Mammoth. 121 



indispensible letters of recommendation, some of which 

 were addressed to the servants of the government, and 

 others to merchants, from whom I hoped to derive some 

 advantages. On the 16th of June, I arrived in the small 

 town of Schigarsk, and towards the end of the same 

 month I reached Kumak-Surka: from this place I made 

 an excursion, the express object of which was to disco- 

 ver the mammoth. And I shall now give a sketch of 

 my journey. 



The contrary winds, which lasted during the whole 

 summer, retarded my departure from Kumak-Surka ; 

 this place was then inhabited by 40 or 50 Toungouse 

 families of the Batouline race. Fishing was their ordi- 

 nary occupation, and the extreme activity of these peo- 

 ple filled me with admiration : the women, old men, 

 and even children, laboured with indefatigable assiduity 

 in laying up provisions for winter. The strongest went 

 a-fishing, the less robust were occupied in cleaning and 

 drying the fish. The whole shores were covered with 

 scaffolding, and the cabins so filled with fish that we 

 could scarcely enter them. An innocent gaiety reigned 

 in every countenance, and all exhibited the utmost ac- 

 tivity. The fishermen sang while casting their nets, and 

 others were dancing the Charya, which is a dance pecu- 

 liar to the country. I cannot sufficiently express the 

 emotions of joy which I felt at the sight of these pleas- 

 ing scenes. 



I was convinced, while upon the spot, that the inha- 

 bitants of the North enjoy happiness even in the midst 

 of the frozen regions. 



VOL. III. PART I. <■>. 



