A SUMMER ON THE YENESEI 103 



many of the European defects, and in many of our 

 dealings with him we found that he had a good idea 

 of feathering his own nest. Although, by his own 

 showing, he was not much past forty, it pleased him 

 to be thought elderly ; and by way of keeping up the 

 illusion, he always wore a pair of spectacles. When 

 looking at a distant object, he made a great parade of 

 adjusting and wiping these ; but those who watched 

 him closely might see that he peered out over the 

 rims. Sylkin was quite a link with the past, for he 

 could remember the famous Captain Wiggins, and had 

 rowed Mr. H. L. Popham about the rivers, when, some 

 years before, that distinguished ornithologist visited 

 Golchika. Sylkin and I were good friends, and often 

 felt the need of conversation. Therefore, knowing that 

 my Russian was very limited, he generally accosted me 

 as follows : 



"" Riha horroshie; pagoda horroshie" — then a 

 pause, and, triumphantly, " Pop-ham horroshie." 

 Which being interpreted means, " Fish first-rate ; 

 weather first-rate ; and Popham first-rate ! " He was 

 also accustomed to quote a trite maxim : 



'' Malenki vino horroshie: mnogo vino nyet hor- 

 roshie,'' meaning that a little drink is good, but that 

 much drink is not good. Needless to say, he was 

 fonder of preaching this doctrine than of practising it. 



During the summer, three distinct races visit 

 Golchika. The Samoyedes are the most northerly 

 race. Their range extends from the Kamin Peninsula 

 to North-East Cape, and southwards for about three 

 hundred miles. The Yuraks are found between the 



