Chap. III. 
Foxes; whence, as our Informers afferted, whenever a 
Courfing Match happens among the Inhabitants, they 
find a great Number of both Species near the Villages^ 
as has been frequently obferved. 
Having all Things prepared by the Samarofifchian 
Jemskicks in order to advancing on my Journey, I de- 
parted thence on the 29th of July^ and with my two 
large Dofchenicks or Tide Ships, I drove down the rnoft 
convenient Arm of the Irtis^ to the celebrated River 
Ohy^ which I reached early the next Day. I found her 
Eaftern Shoars abounding with Hills •, but the Weft in- 
tirely flat Land, as far as was vifible to us. The Oby 
was half a Mile over at this Place. 
9. On the 6th of Augufi we reached the City of Sur- 
gut^ fituate on the Eaftern Shoar of the Oby : The in- 
land Country for fome Diftance Eaft wards of Surgut ^ 
as alfo farther up the Oby^ about or near the City of 
Narun^ produces Sables, fome of which are pale, and 
others as black as Pitch, the fineft and largeft Ermines 
in all Siberia and Rujfia^ and above all black Fox-Skins, 
which are the very fineft and richeft any where : Among 
the beft of thefc Fox- Skins, which are referved for his 
Czarifh Majefty, there are fome which are valued from 
two to three hundred Rubels a Skin, that are fo very 
black, that the blackeft Daurian Sable is not compara- 
ble to them. Thefe Foxes are caught by Dogs ; of 
which the Inhabitants related the following very remark- 
able Accident, in ftrong Terms, but let the Reader be- 
lieve as he pleafes. 
Laft Year, near a Village adjacent to Surgut^ by 
Day-light, an extraordinary fine Fox difcovered him- 
felf, upon Sight of which a Boor let loofe his Dogs : 
The Fox was within Sight of the Peafant, and the Dogs 
foon got up to him ; but when this fubtle Animal faw 
that it was impoffible to efcape the Hounds by Flight, 
he fawning run to meet them, tumbled on his Back be- 
fore them, and licked their Mouths, run backwards and 
forwards and played with them ; the unexperienced 
Dogs foftned by his fawning Treatment, did the fly 
Fox no Manner of Hurt, but fuffered him to efcape 
into the Wood ; fo that the poor Peafant having no 
Fire-Arms at Hand, notwithftanding all his Vigilance, 
did for that Time lofe Sight of this rich Booty. 
But two Days afterv/ards the fame Fox returned to 
the fame Place ; which the Peafant was no fooner aware 
of, but he took another, and his beft Dog with him, 
which was white haired *, and full freight with frefh 
Hopes of this rich Game, he runs this Dog at the Fox, 
but the black Dogs flew towards him, and while he was 
fawning on them, the white Hound was fo cunning as 
to fawn at firft, but being come within Reach, he took 
a good Leap at him, and had certainly feized him, if 
he had not, by leaving a Piece of his Side behind him, 
fprung nimbly from him, and efcaped into a thick 
Wood, where it was in vain to look for him. 
The Boor was at laft however too hard for this fubtle 
Fox, for he coloured his white Dog all over black, 
that the Fox who was become fhy of him, might not 
know him ; which done he went the third Time on this 
Courfe with his dy’d Dog, and was fo fortunate that 
his Hound fmelt him out ; upon which the Fox feeing 
the difguifedDog, fawn’d on him without the leaft Fear, 
taking him for one of the firft black Hounds, with 
whom he defigned to play again ; and in this Pofture 
they approached each other, w^hen the Dog watching his 
Opportunity, grafped the carelefs Fox, and fo caught 
this fly Beaft with his fine Skin, which proved very 
well worth the Peafant’s Trouble, he felling it for an 
hundred Rubels, 
Here are great Numbers of thofe which are called 
Crofs-Foxes, whofe Skins are of a mixt black and grey, 
but very few perfedl black. Red Foxes and Hyeena^s, 
as alfo Beavers are very plentiful in this Country ; but 
the Hyeena^a are very mifchievous and live on Prey. 
They, like the Linx's, place themfelves in the Trees, 
lie very ft ill and clofe, till a Hart, an Elk, a Doe or 
an Hare runs under the Tree *, from which they leap up- 
on him, eat a Hole in his Body., and continue gnawing, 
till the Beaft by Force of Pain falls down, and confe- 
Nquently comes to their Share. One of the fFaiwods 
925 
kept a Hysena alive for his Diverfion, which he pu*- 
into the Water, and let two Water Dogs loofe at him s 
but he immediately leaped upon the Head of one of 
them, and held him fo long under Water till he 
drowned him ; after which he fwam to the other, 
whom he had treated in the fame Manner^ if he had 
not been interrupted by throwing Wood at hinij till the 
Dog, taking his Opportunity, fwam out. 
But with Regard to the Beavers, which herd here in 
great Numbers, fome very ftrange Particulars are related 
as Truths, though they feem ridiculous ; w'herefare I 
take it to be worth my Pains to touch a little on their 
Properties, of which the following are all ferioufly 
averred to me. The greateft Part of their Food being 
Fifh, they harbour on the Shores of thofe Rivers which 
abound moft with Fifli, and which are not much trou- 
bled with Paflengers, In the Spring they not only herd 
together, but aflemble themfelves into a Society, and 
pick out fome, and feize others as Prifoners, whoni they 
carry to their Holes, and oblige them to ferve as Slaves. 
They fell Trees with their Teeth, carry them to their 
Dwellings, and there hack out their Wood to a cer- 
tain Length, which they artificially fix together liks 
Joyners- work, and Chefts, and there they\y up fe- 
parately all their Summer-ftore of Provifions. And 
about the Seafon of this Preparation, the Time of the 
Female Beavers Bringing-forth approaches ; upon 
which the Inhabitants told me improbable Thinc^-s of 
their Pradices. They fay, that againft that Jun^ure 
the whole Neighbourhood go togetlier, and frequently 
gnaw a Tree of above an Ell Circumference, for the 
Length of above two Fathom, even to the inner Pith 
till it falls down ; that they are expert enough to brino- 
it to their Holes by Water, and that they can rear it 
upright before the Entrance of their Holes, fo artifici- 
ally, that the Tree ftands perpendicularly in the Water 
above an Ell deep, and yet touches no Ground 5 and 
that fo firm and immoveable in its Line or Centre, that 
though the Wind blow ever fo hard, the Tree remains 
firm in its Place. All which feems unnatural ; and yet 
all the Siberians that I ever difcourfed unanimoufly af- 
firmed it ; and added feverai other Things concernino- 
thefe Beafts, which feem rather the Effects' of human 
Reafon, than within the Compafs of that Inftind; which 
guides irrational Brutes ; all which I fliall not trouble 
myfelf to defcribe at large. 
At the fame Time, fome afcribe this Ereflion of the 
Tree before the Beaver- holes, to the Conjuration of the 
Oftiacks, and other Heathens, who live in all Parts there- 
abouts. Whether it is fo or not, God knows ; but it 
is certain, that thefe Beafts have Slaves amongft them 
which in all Parts here are known to the Peafants, by 
reafon they are lean, and their Furr worn off by Labour. 
Tht Ruffians^ as well Ofiiacks, which go out a 
Beaver Hunting, always avoid the Deftruflioh of a whole 
Neft or Kennel ; for if they kill or fhoot all the reft^ 
they leave a Couple, Male and Female remainin^y, in 
order to furnifh them with frefh Game in the fame Place 
the next Year. 
10. Having palled feverai Miles up the Oby^ Part of 
which we failed, and towed the reft with a Line, on the 
13th oi Augufi we paffed by the Mouth of the Wagga^ 
which rifeth out of the Truganian Mountains, This*^^ a 
large River, its Water is brown, and its Courfe North-* 
North- Weft into the Oby^ on this Side of Narun, at 
which City we arrived on the 24th of the fame Month. 
It is fituated on the Side of the River in a fine Country, 
and is provided with a Fortrefs or Caftle, and an in- 
different Garrifon of Cojfaeks. All the Country around 
this City abounds with Crofs and Red Foxes, Beavers 
Ermines, Sables, &e. which afford fine Furs.. ^ 
The Banks of the Oby to this Place are inhabited by 
a People called Otfiacks ; who worfliip Terreftrial Gods 
but acknowledge, that according to Nature there muft 
be a Lord in Heaven, that governs all ; neverthelefs, 
they do not pay any Worfliip at all to him, but have 
their own Gods made of Wood and Earth, in feverai 
human Shapes. Some of the richeft amongft them 
drefs thefe Deities in filken Cloatjis, made Ifter the 
Fafhion of thofe of the Ruffian Women, All of them 
have 
from Muscovy /o China, 
