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the boots, which may almost be called boot-stockings, coming up nearly to the thighs. The 

 tunic is a reversible garment, also of reindeer-skin, fastened at the waist with a girdle and 

 furnished with sleeves. It has a high, straight collar, which is sometimes worn so as to rise 

 above the top of the head. The cap is of the same material. In fine weather the tunic is 

 worn with the hair outside; in wet weather, with the hair inside. "When a long spell of cold 

 weather comes, a second garment is worn. 



Honesty is a marked characteristic of the Samoyedes. The merchants of Tobolsk, when 

 they go north in the summer to purchase fish, take with them flour and salt, place them in 

 the summer stations, and leave what they do not use for the following year. If a Samoyede 

 should pass by, and be in pressing want, he takes as much as he needs. But he leaves an 

 I.O.U. in the form of a notched stick. In the fishing season, when he can procure the 

 means to pay back, he goes to the merchant and asks for his notched stick, compares it with 

 a duplicate he has kept, and, having assured himself that the notches correspond, pays over 

 sufficient fish to cancel the debt. 



Mr. Kae, Mr. Seebohm, Mr. Lansdell, and Captain Wiggins, who have written interesting 

 accounts of their personal experiences among the Samoyedes, agree with other northern 

 explorers in describing them as a kindly and cheerful people, very hospitable, and generous 

 in sharing the things that 

 come into their possession. 



The Samoyede is a peace- 

 able being, and eminently 

 sociable. He will travel a 

 long way out of his ordinary 

 course in order to visit a 

 tent where fellow-tribesmen 

 live. He is fond of gossip, 

 a characteristic of all races of 

 Mongol stock. He treats his 

 women with great respect. 



The wealthier and less 

 wandering families of the 

 Samoyedes profess Chris- 

 tianity. This religion is in 

 fashion solely because it is 

 that of the Kussiaiis, Avho 

 are their masters, and whom 

 they dare not offend by 

 openly practising the rites of 

 the paganism which is still 

 cherished among them. The 

 difficulty of educating and 

 Christianising these wander- 

 ing tribes is exceedingly 

 great. A priest of the 

 Russian Church is sent yearly 

 among them to baptise 

 children and converts, and to 

 marry such of them as are 

 professedly Christian; but 

 though many go through the 

 form of being admitted within 

 the pale of Christianity, " all 



Photo by J. Szombathy} 



[Vienna. 



A GROUP OF SAMOYEDES. 



