FETCH OR A 509 



carved, but oftener quite plain and simple. The pattern 

 varies considerably, according to the individual taste of 

 the owner or maker. Sometimes both brass swivels and 

 brass rim-rests of Russian manufacture are used. In- 

 deed, the bone swivel appears to be a copy from the brass 

 one, and it is doubtful if the Samoyedes used swivels 

 before they saw the brass ones. The rein-rests, however, 

 are of quite different patterns, and are doubtless original. 



We now come to the traces. They are attached to the 

 tanned leather collar (which lies flat round the neck) by a 

 bone trace-peg underneath (Fig. 6), pass along between 

 the fore-legs underneath the belly between the leather 

 thong (which connects the two ends of the saddle) and 

 the chest, and between the hind legs, and is attached to 

 the sledge, as shown on plate sliding freely through per- 

 forated pieces of bone, and thus forcing the deer to pull 

 equally ; as, were they not to do so, the haunches of the 

 lazy one would come in contact with the front of the 

 sledge. These bone-runners or trace-runners are repre- 

 sented in Figs. 11 and 116. 



The halters of the second, third, and fourth deer differ 

 slightly from that of the leading deer. Besides the two 

 round pieces of bone which pass up the sides of the head, 

 and one of which bends over the eye in front of the ear 

 of the leading deer (Fig. 7), and both of which are 

 more or less bent as in the leading deer; there are two 

 pieces of flat bone which lie across the neck, behind the 

 ears (Fig. 8). The bridle rein is attached, not to these 

 pieces of bone, but to the thong which joins them, by 

 a ring or loop, and it is not quite easy to understand 

 their use, unless it be to protect the jugular vein or neck 

 generally, from the rubbing of the thong, or save the deer 

 from choking. The leather thong which passes under 

 the chest, attaching the two ends of the saddle, is 

 fastened to one side of the saddle by a button (Fig. 10). 



