66 SIBERIA IN EUROPE. CHAP. vn. 



from a bunch at his belt, tied one of the animal's forelegs 

 to the hind leg on the same side ; crossing the feet, but 

 keeping the legs parallel at the point of ligature. 



As soon as the reindeer was left, he made wild efforts to 

 rise and walk ; and sometimes succeeded in hobbling a few 

 paces. Finding his strength give way with his frantic 

 efforts to escape, he generally rested with his foreknees on 

 the snow for a time ; and finally lay down quietly. A dozen 

 reindeer were soon on the ground. The scene became quite 

 exciting ; the reindeer were wheeling round and round in. 

 circles. The dogs tied to the sledges barked furiously, and 

 evidently wished to have a share in the sport. The dogs 

 selected by the Samoyedes to help them to get within lasso 

 range of the deer, rushed frantically about at the command 

 of their masters, whose loud cries added to the excitement of 

 the scene. Sometimes a herd of reindeer ran over a place 

 where the snow was unable to bear their weight ; and it was 

 interesting to watch them snorting and plunging. As the 

 number caught increased, the difficulty also increased of 

 identifying and catching the remaining few of the fifty that 

 belonged to the Kussian, and the Samoyedes with the 

 lassos were driven about in sledges at a rapid pace to get 

 within reach of the animals they wanted. The deer kept 

 together ; if one ran out of bounds a dog was sent after it and 

 soon brought it back again. In one respect the reindeer 

 resemble sheep ; wherever one goes, the rest try to follow. 



In this herd the greater number were females (vah'shinka), 

 with good horns ; these they do not cast till they drop their 

 young. A few were males Qiorre), their new horns just 



