* 



ELEPHANT OF THE LENA. 139 



a shrub was to be seen. After two days travelling, 

 we arrived at the shores of the Frozen Ocean. 

 The Tungusians called it Angardam, or Terra 

 Firma. To reach the Mammoth, we were obliged 

 to traverse a peninsula called Byschofskoy-Mys 

 or Tamut. This peninsula, which stretches into 

 a spacious gulf, is on the right of the mouth of 

 the Lena, and extends, as I was informed, from 

 south-east to north-west, for the length of eighty 

 wersts, (about fifty-three miles.) The name is 

 probably derived from two points like horns, 

 which are at the northern end of the promontory. 

 The point on the left, which the Russians more 

 especially call Byschofskoy-Mys, on account of 

 its greater extent, forms three large gulfs, where 

 are some Jakutsk settlements ; the opposite point, 

 called Manstai, on account of the great quantity 

 of floating wood found on its shore, is of half the 

 size ; the bank is lower, and this canton is com- 

 pletely inhabited. The distance from one point 

 to the other is reckoned at forty-five wersts, 

 (thirty miles.) Hills form the more elevated 

 part of the peninsula of Tamut. The rest is 

 occupied by lakes, and all the low lands are 

 marshy, &c. 



" The peninsula of which we have just spoken, 

 is so narrow in some places, that the sea is seen 

 on both sides. The rein deer migrate every year 

 regularly, abandoning these places to proceed by 



