140 ICE-BOUND ON KOLGUEV 
faces and hands. Their hands they washed often during 
the cooking, and always after any special office. 
While the meal was preparing the men went out to 
collect the reindeer. This is a very interesting practice ; 
but as I did not see it well on the first morning I will 
describe it in its place. 
When'I first entered upon this book I had thought 
to treat of these people in a separate part. But now 
I have decided rather to take them as they fall into 
their place in every 
day, by which you will 
not learn less about 
them, but learn I hope 
“agreeably, and by-an 
easy way. “ 
“They had no soap, 
but begged a bit which 
we had carried for our 
stockings. 
SAMOYED WOMAN’S WORK-BAG 
The whole conduct 
of the choom: was a picture of perfect good order 
and kind temper. First the men fed, then the old 
woman with her daughter-in-law and the two eldest 
girls, then the children. . 
It is true that the dogs, of which there were ten inside, 
warming at the fire and picking up as they could, were 
somewhat of a nuisance, but on the whole the girls man- 
aged them well. And they did not interfere with Sailor. 
