I 8 ARCHANGEL 



recognised many of the stuffed birds, and tried to 

 describe their habits and imitate their notes. They 

 gave us the following Samoyede names of birds in the 

 Petchora district : 



Sandpiper Suitar. 



Willow Grouse Hond-jy'. 



Swan Chouari. 



Goose Yebtaw. 



Black Goose Parden Yebtaw. 



They told us there were two species of swans in the 

 Petchora, the larger one common and breeding there, the 

 smaller one rare, and appearing only in autumn. They 

 represented the snowy owl as found on the tundra, but 

 did not recognise the Lapp or Ural owls. We found 

 later that these statements were substantially correct. On 

 one occasion the Samoyedes favoured us with some of 

 their national songs, monotonous chants which reminded 

 me very much of the songs of the peasants of the Par- 

 nassus. One, which was translated for us, was a sort of 

 Ossianic ditty, relating how the singer intended to make 

 a journey with reindeer, how he would select the four 

 fleetest bull reindeer from his herd, how he would always 

 be at the head of the party, how he would get plenty of 

 vodka, how he would barter his skins, and how he would 

 take care not to be cheated in the transaction. One of 

 the Samoyedes told us that they have a chief, residing in 

 the Ural, who is answerable to the Emperor for the 

 annual tribute, and that at his death his son succeeds 

 him, unless he is thought not worthy to be made king. 

 In this case another chief is elected by ballot, by putting 

 pieces of wood into a pimU, or boot. It is right to note, 

 however, that other Samoyedes whom we questioned had 

 never heard of this Ural chief. The Samoyedes have no 

 doctors, and use no medicinal plants, nor do they employ 



