BACK TO SCHAROK 295 
nia,’ as he calls it), passes his thumb through a slit in the 
end, takes a turn or two round his head, gathers up the 
remainder in coils, picks up his toorr in his left hand, and 
then, turning the deer straight, runs his eye over the 
team to see that all is right. For each deer is attached 
to the front bar of the sleigh by a single long trace run- 
ning from the collar. The Niasminta on the left or near 
side, and the Warrii on the off-side, generally ran clear 
of this trace, one to the left, the other to the right of it, 
but it passes between the hind legs of the three middle 
deer of the team. 
The following diagram will give more clearly than a 
description the parts of the harness and the Samoyeds’ 
terms for them. 
It is all worth giving for the sake of future travellers, 
for before this it would seem only the Russian names 
have been given in the books. 
With the exception of the saddle and collar, which are 
of tanned leather, all this is made of raw seal hide. 
So before our Samoyed can start he must see that the 
‘sach’ is in its proper place, and there is usually a good 
deal of leg-lifting before this is satisfactorily so. Then, 
leading the Niasminta by the head, he starts the deer at 
a walk, which after a pace or two becomes a trot. He 
then stops, letting the rein uncoil from his hand, and as 
the sleigh flashes past him he throws himself on to it, 
sitting with both legs to the 4f¢ side. He sits facing 
his team, the left foot either on the runner or hitched 
