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- 36-47 



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. 35-67 



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 



