INTRODUCTION xxi 
the conditions of ice more favourable than they were in 
1894, would pitch his tent by Lake Promoince, and 
stay there, might do good work. 
Whether it is useful or not to have determined geo- 
graphical points on Kolguev, it is certain that our 
acquaintance with the Samoyeds is a gain. 
Any one who in the future may be landed or wrecked 
on Kolguev will know that there are natives there, and 
that they remain there all the year. And he will know 
exactly where to look for them. He will not make my 
mistake of expecting to find them near the river mouth, 
but will move up at once to the head waters of the 
streams. Here on the Gobista, the Pugrinoy, or the 
Pesanka for example, he will certainly fall in with the 
chooms. If he should meet Uano he will be fortunate ; 
if On Tipa, more fortunate still. These are the best men 
on the island, but all are kind and any one of them 
would be a friend. 
I am often asked about the pronunciation of the word 
Kolguev. I believe that strictly it is a word of three 
syllables, but in pronunciation it comes to be a dis- 
syllable, and might be phonetically written ‘ Kol-gwev. 
I am aware that a strict transliteration from the Russian 
would make it ‘Kolgueff,’ but the ‘v’ better conveys the 
sound of the final syllable, and has also the sanction 
of use. 
