244 



ICE-BOUND ON KOLGUEV 



sleiehs and were off in a bunch, amid o-reat laughter and 

 shoutings from the men, and loud cries of ' Arkhoh, 

 arkhoh ' — ' Deep, deep.' 



This trivial incident is worth mentioning because it 

 shows so well the absolute equality and freedom of the 

 Samoyed women. Just fancy, if you can, an Indian 

 squaw taking an independent line like this ! 



We waited perhaps an hour for Verrmyah, and then 

 after a short journey suddenly there arose a roar of 



shouts and laughter 



*?* -.- -aw***. 



from the men, for there 



were all the women on 



1.1 ilk a little hill at whose 



h 



^ foot the Pesanka ran. 





Of course they had 

 not been able to cross. 

 Only poor Ustynia, who 

 had really tried the 



passage, was drying her things at the fire, for they 

 were very wet. 



Nothing could have been more good-humoured than 

 the way the women took the joke which was now turned 

 against themselves. I am not so sure about the duchess, 

 who was fat, and I fancy was a bit disgusted at having 

 been bustled for nothing. 



I sketched a little ' psi-itz ' or blue fox ; and was much 

 amused at the way it behaved to the dogs. They quite 

 understood that they must not touch it. But old 



