RE-CROSSING 143 



me on a sleigh. Hyland in the same way was part 

 of a compound organism ; he was driven by Shabla, 

 a dirty new arrival, while Onaska drove his team of five 

 whites. 



Had it not been for the Governor's letter we never 

 should have started at all. For the reindeer were in full 

 moult, and therefore at their worst. I insisted that we 

 should go straight to the Gusina, and that we must be 

 back in three days. Uano seemed to think he could do it. 



So first we went north-east. But we had not been 

 travelling more than two hours before we came to a 

 frightful country ; it was all of chasms, sudden and very 

 full of snow, which hung over in such a way that not even 

 a reindeer could face it. 



So Onaska (the Prophet, as I called him, because of 

 his white deer, and because he pronounced on all difficult 

 points) went on alone to see what he could see. Return- 

 ing presently he simply said ' Impossible.' Whereupon 

 they all gaily determined that they must go back. So I 

 came in. ' Go back if you dare ; I will put the Governor 

 on to you, and off you go to Siberia, as sure as eggs is 



eggs. 



With that they would see the papers again. So the 

 papers were spread out on the ground, and they all lay 

 down, with their noses over the paper, while Onaska, 

 who alone could read, spelt it slowly through. 



' Kolguev not here, only Petchora,' says Onaska, tap- 

 ping the paper. 



