THE GOOSING 231 



little creature — and danced about in front of the fire with- 

 out a stitch of clothing on to keep it from the draughts. 



The girls had no greater delight than in nursing and 

 playing with the child, and little Wanka loved it too. 

 He used to kiss it in the Samoyed way — that is, by a 

 pressure of the lips without the sound of kissing. 



The Yeleseis and Marrks went soon to bed when we 

 got back that morning, but we sat up long, talking in our 

 choom. They wanted for the hundredth time to find out 

 all about the land I lived in. 



It was farther than Norway I told them. ' Yes, yes/ 

 said Uano, they knew where Norway was ; they had kept 

 and fed some Norwegian sailors who were wrecked on 

 Kolguev some years ago. 



'Yes, yes,' adds Uano, 'and Norwegians say, " Uano 

 very good ; very, very good. Russian not good. Uano 

 good."' 



Then they said it must be the land where they killed 

 poor Samoyeds with knives. 



'Oh no, indeed,' I tell them; 'that is not true. Will 

 they — will Verrmyah, Katrina, Ustynia and Uano come 

 back with me ; I will take them ? ' 



' No, no, Ahnglia stop here. Ahnglia always stop 

 here, and Hylum stop.' 



With such simple talk we beguiled the time. And then 

 I made Uano sino- a huntino-sono- or sao-a. I had heard it 

 often before. It begins : ' Mein Neydoo adliurs hun : 

 yan?' — literally, ' My son (his) quick-sleigh where (is it)?' 



