A JOURNEY IN SIBERIA. 415 



Some hours later we buried him according to the customs of 

 his people. He was a true "heathen", and in heathenish fashion 

 he should be buried. Our " orthodox " companions hesitated to do 

 this; our "heathen" followers helped us in the ceremony, which, 

 though not Christian, was at any rate dignified and human. The 

 grave received its sixth victim. 



Should this be the last ? Involuntarily this question arose; it 

 was gruesome for us all to have death as a travelling companion. 

 Fortunately for us, Hadt's grave was the last on this journey. 



Seriously, very seriously, still oppressed by increasing dearth of 

 provisions, we turned again towards the Shtchutshya. Zanda pro- 

 vided a scant diet for our followers, while we relied on what we 

 could shoot, and were pinched enough. But one forenoon we cap- 

 tured a family of geese, and shot several willow grouse, snipe, and 

 plovers, and celebrated a feast, for it was pleasant to be able to eat 

 without counting the mouthfuls. But without the help of our host 

 it would hardly have been possible for us to have survived. 



We reached the river, and, almost at the end of our stores, we 

 regained our boat. Here we feasted on fare which was poor enough, 

 though, after a fortnight's privation, it seemed most sumptuous. 

 We said farewell for ever to the tundra. 



A Shaman, whom we had found busy fishing further up the 

 Obi, and had asked to give us a sample of his art and wisdom, had 

 duly beaten his dull-sounding drum to summon Yamaul, the mes- 

 senger of the gods, who befriended him, and had told us that we 

 should next year revisit the inhospitable country which we had 

 just left, but that we should then go to the region where the 

 Shtchutshya, Bodarata, and Ussa have their source. For two 

 emperors would reward us, and the elders of our people would be 

 satisfied with our report, and send us forth again. Moreover, on our 

 journey no further misfortune would befall us. So the messenger 

 of the gods, perceived by him alone, had said. 



The last part of his prophecy was true enough. Slowly but 

 without mishap or accident we journeyed for twenty-three days up 

 the Obi, and after long delay we fortunately reached a steamboat, 

 on which we ascended the Irtish for three days. Without misfor- 



