BACK TO SCHAROK 295 



nia,' as he calls it), passes his thumb through a slit in the 

 end, takes a turn or two round his head, gathers up the 

 remainder in coils, picks up his toorr in his left hand, and 

 then, turning the deer straight, runs his eye over the 

 team to see that all is right. For each deer is attached 

 to the front bar of the sleigh by a single long trace run- 

 ning from the collar. The Niasminta on the left or near 

 side, and the Warrli on the off-side, generally ran clear 

 of this trace, one to the left, the other to the right of it, 

 but it passes between the hind legs of the three middle 

 deer of the team. 



The following diagram will give more clearly than a 

 description the parts of the harness and the Samoyeds' 

 terms for them. 



It is all worth oivino- for the sake of future travellers, 

 for before this it would seem only the Russian names 

 have been given in the books. 



With the exception of the saddle and collar, which are 

 of tanned leather, all this is made of raw seal hide. 



So before our Samoyed can start he must see that the 

 ' sach ' is in its proper place, and there is usually a good 

 deal of leg-lifting before this is satisfactorily so. Then, 

 leading the Niasminta by the head, he starts the deer at 

 a walk, which after a pace or two becomes a trot. He 

 then stops, letting the rein uncoil from his hand, and as 

 the sleigh flashes past him he throws himself on to it, 

 sitting with both legs to the left side. He sits facing 

 his team, the left foot either on the runner or hitched 



