viii CONTENTS 



CHAPTER IV. 



SLEDGING TO UST-ZYLMA. 



Bad Roads Postal Service in Winter and Summer Changeable Weather- 

 Scenery Pinega and Kuloi Rivers Snow Plains The Forests Birds 

 Samoyedes Mezen A Polish Exile Snow-Buntings Jackdaws We leave 

 Mezen Scenery The Mezen River The Pizhma Bad State of the Roads 

 Piottuch's Accident The Via Diabolica Bolshanivagorskia Break up of the 

 Road Polish Prejudices The Villages Curiosity of the Peasants Greek 

 Crosses Love of Ornament Employment and Amusements Samoyedes 

 Siberian Jays Umskia First View of the Petchora Arrival at Ust-Zylma 



Pp. 21-35 



CHAPTER V. 



UST-ZYLMA. 



Ust-Zylma Its Streets and Houses Its Manure Population of the Town Its 

 Churches Our Quarters The Banks of the River The Old Believers Their 

 Superstition Silver Crosses Hospitality of the Officials Shooting-parties 

 Captain Arendt and Captain Engel Snow-shoes Scarcity of Birds The 

 Snow-bunting Redpolls Winter ..... Pp. 3^-47 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE ZYLMA AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 



The Samoyedes Reindeer The Tundra Nomad Life Diseases of Reindeer 

 Samoyede National Character Trip to Umskia Bad Roads Paucity of 

 Birds Easter Holidays Drunkenness Heavy Snowfall Our First Bird's- 

 nest Excursion to an Island in the River . . . . Pp. 48-54 



CHAPTER VII. 



THE SAMOYEDES. 



Trip to Habariki Samoyedes Lassoing Reindeer Dogs of the Natives 

 Samoyede Sledges Reindeer Harness The Chooms Samoyede Hospitality 

 Marriage Ceremonies Funeral Rites Religion . . . Pp. 55-67 



CHAPTER VIII. 



LIFE IN UST-ZYLMA. 



May-day Snow-buntings Jackdaws Game Birds of Prey Sunday at Ust- 

 Zylma A Fire Marriage Ceremony Tenure of Land The Commune 

 Preparations for Summer ........ Pp. 68-74 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE ADVENT OF SUMMER. 



Mild Weather Bear-tracks Saddle of Bear First Rain Six New Migratory 

 Birds Magpie's Eggs Cessation of the Winter Frost Return of Winter 

 A Wild-goose Chase Cachets Night on the Banks of the Petchora The 

 Silent Forest .... Pp. 75-81 



