186 NATIVE TRADE. 



in such journeys. Mooldooyali, the miscalled Mis- 

 sionary, and Amtin, were of the number who had 

 thus travelled, and the latter knew more on the subject 

 than any one except Ahmoleen of Yandangah, who 

 described, and even named, two or three of the 

 Russian traders, among whom he spoke of one Simon, 

 a man of very obese proportions, which it was fine 

 fun to my friend to mimic, for, as I have before 

 noticed, this talent they possess in a considerable degree. 

 The journeys to Kolyma are undertaken with rein- 

 deer and large covered sledges ; furs and ivory are taken 

 to be exchanged for tobacco in the leaf, of a very 

 inferior nature ; common rough beads, generally of a 

 dull opaque blue ; knives ; printed cottons, of which 

 loose flowing dresses are made to go over the fur 

 clothes in place of the okonch ; probably also a little 

 sugar, and I rather think very small quantities of 

 spirits, as " kamisse," or more properly " ay-ke-mish," 

 doubtless a corruption of ayak-memil, (fire-water) 

 was by no means unknown to them and eagerly sought 

 for. To obtain it no sacrifice was considered too 

 great, and the most sacred ties were loosed with 

 indifference in its pursuit. We were much puzzled 

 for a long time to tell how fire was produced each 

 morning in the huts, — the husband evidently gave no 

 assistance in the way of steel and tinder, but at last we 



