ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE OLD BELIEVERS. 



CHAPTER V. 



Ust-Zylma — Its streets — Its houses — Its manure — Its population — Its farms — Its 

 churches — Our quarters — The banks of the river — The Old Believers — Their 

 superstition — Their crosses — Hospitality of the officials — Shooting-parties — 

 Captain Arendt and Captain Engel — Snow shoes — Scarcity of birds — The snow- 

 bunting — Mealy red pole — Winter. 



Ust-Zylma* is a long, straggling village, lying on the 

 narrow strip of flat land, on the north and east bank of the 

 Petchora, where that river makes a sudden bend from west 



* In ' Purchas his Pilgrimes.' the 

 narrative of the voyage of Josias Logan, 

 win. wintered in the valley of the 

 Petchora in 1611, contains the follow- 

 ing description of this town: " Ust- 

 Zvlma is a village of some thirtie or 



fortie houses, and standetfa in the 

 height of G6 C and 30 minute-. They 

 have (oii,,. growing there, both barley 

 and rye. aiid their barley is passing 

 faire and white almost as rice." 



