218 A SUMMER ON THE YENESEl 



simple ready humour of children. Nicolai, wishing to 

 light his pipe, opened the match-box, only to find it empty. 

 His discomfiture drew shouts of laughter from the 

 others. Maxim, when putting on his boots, found that 

 the stitching had given way, and that his bare toes 

 protruded in what English children call a " potato." 

 He and his brothers rolled to and fro with merriment 

 at this unexpected appearance, but Maria shook her 

 head and hastened to mend the hole with twisted 

 reindeer sinew. 



This morning there was plenty of time for such 

 jokes, for it was still raining heavily, and there was 

 little temptation to go out and be wetted to the skin, 

 especially when there was nowhere where damp clothes 

 could be dried. Meanwhile there was a good oppor- 

 tunity of studying the choom, which, for the benefit of 

 those who have never seen one, I may briefly describe. 

 A choom is a little conical-shaped tent about fifteen feet 

 in diameter. There is one upright pole in the middle ; 

 and a number of more slender rods leaning in towards 

 it, and tied together in a bunch at the top, support the 

 cover. According to the weather, the smoke escapes, 

 or does not escape, through the opening at the apex. 

 The only inside fitting is a cross-bar which is lashed 

 from one of the side poles to the centre upright, and 

 from which hangs a wooden hook for the cooking-pot. 

 The outside covering is made of skins sewn too;etlier. 

 Indeed, so all-important is the reindeer to the poor 

 Siberian native, that it is no wonder that it is difficult 

 to buy good skins in Golchika. Fawn skins are plenti- 

 ful enough, and only cost a rouble or two, but the 



