140 



ICE-BOUND ON KOLGUEV 



faces and hands. Their hands they washed often during 

 the cooking, and always after any special office. 



While the meal was preparing" the men went out to 

 collect the reindeer. This is a very interesting practice ; 

 but as I did not see it well on the first morning I will 

 describe it in its place. 



When I first entered upon this book I had thought 

 to treat of these people in a separate part. But now 

 I have decided rather to take them as they fall into 



their place in every 

 day, by which you will 

 not learn less about 

 them, but learn I hope 

 agreeably, and by an 

 easy way. 



They had no soap, 

 but begored a bit which 

 we had carried for our 

 stockings. 



The whole conduct 

 of the choom was a picture of perfect good order 

 and kind temper. First the men fed, then the old 

 woman with her daughter-in-law and the two eldest 

 girls, then the children. 



It is true that the dogs, of which there were ten inside, 

 warming at the fire and picking up as they could, were 

 somewhat of a nuisance, but on the whole the girls man- 

 aged them well. And they did not interfere with Sailor. 



nii/y 



8 



SAMOYED WOMAN'S WORK-BAG 



