INTRODUCTION xxi 



the conditions of ice more favourable than they were in 

 1894, would pitch his tent by Lake Promoince, and 

 stay there, might do good work. 



Whether it is useful or not to have determined geo- 

 graphical points on Kolguev, it is certain that our 

 acquaintance with the Samoyeds is a gain. 



Any one who in the future may be landed or wrecked 

 on Kolguev will know that there are natives there, and 

 that they remain there all the year. And he will know 

 exactly where to look for them. He will not make my 

 mistake of expecting to find them near the river mouth, 

 but will move up at once to the head waters of the 

 streams. Here on the Gobista, the Pugrinoy, or the 

 Pesanka for example, he will certainly fall in with the 

 chooms. If he should meet Uano he will be fortunate ; 

 if On Tipa, more fortunate still. These are the best men 

 on the island, but all are kind and any one of them 

 would be a friend. 



I am often asked about the pronunciation of the word 

 Kolguev. I believe that strictly it is a word of three 

 syllables, but in pronunciation it comes to be a dis- 

 syllable, and might be phonetically written ' Kol-gwev. 

 I am aware that a strict transliteration from the Russian 

 would make it ' Kolgueff,' but the ' v ' better conveys the 

 sound of the final syllable, and has also the sanction 

 of use. 



