294 ICE-BOUND ON KOLGUEV 



Sunday, August \2th. — To-day I went down to 

 Scharok with Uano. We each drove a team of five. 

 As I think I have never properly described a reindeer 

 team I may do so now. 



First the names. Reckoning from left to right you 

 have Niasminta, Niasminta Gei-o-hu, Yierrkha, Warru 

 Gei-o-hu, Warrii. 



There is only one driving rein, and that is attached to 

 the head-band of the Niasminta. The off-side of this 

 deer's head-band is then attached to the near side of the 

 i^irth of the next, and so through the rest of the team. 1 

 From this it is clear that the Niasminta gives the cue 

 to all the others, and should be the best trained deer. 

 As a matter of fact, he is not only this, but always the 

 finest that can be found. 



Driving is a comparatively simple matter. Let us 

 watch a Samoyed off. 



Whenever the driver leaves his sleigh he throws the 

 long driving pole down in front of the team, and turning 

 the team itself round till it is facing- the back of the 

 sleigh, fastens the Niasminta's head by the rein to the 

 side bar of the sleigh. 



This driving pole, which is some ten or twelve feet 

 long, is called by the Samoyeds the ' toorr,' and by the 

 Russians the 'hareh.' It has a button of reindeer horn 

 at the point. 



Now the driver unfastens the long rein (the ' moi-ty- 



1 This arrangement is sometimes reversed, so that the Niasminta has more freedom. 



