ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE OLD BELIEVERS. 



CHAPTER Y. 



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 redpole 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, 

 who wintered in the valley of the 

 Petchora in 1611, contains the follow- 

 ing description of this town : " Ust- 

 Zylma is a village of some thirtie or 



fortie houses, and standeth in the 

 height of 66 and 30 minutes. They 

 have corne growing there, both barley 

 and rye, and their barley is passing 

 faire and white almost as rice." 



