80 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap 
Eussians, for instance, say that the Samoyeds attribute to their 
'bolvans’ the same importance which they themselves attach 
to their sacred pictures, and find in this nothing objectionable. 
The Samoyeds have songs and sagas, relating among other 
things to their migrations. 
'‘The Samoyed has one or more wives; even sisters may 
marry the same man. ALarriage is entered upon without 
any solemnity. The wives are considered by the men as having 
equal rights with themselves, and are treated accordingly, which 
is very remarkable, as the Eussians, like other Christian nations, 
consider the woman as in certain respects inferior to the man.” 
I visited the place for tlie first time in the beginning of 
August, 1875. It was a Eussian holiday, and, while still a 
long way off at sea, we could see a large number of Eussians 
and Samoyeds standing in groups on the beach. Coming 
nearer we found them engaged in playing various different 
games, and though it was the first time in the memory of 
man that European gentlemen had visited their " town,” they 
scarcely allowed themselves to be more disturbed in their occu¬ 
pation than if some stranger Samoyeds had suddenly joined 
their company. Some stood in a circle and by turns threw a 
piece of iron, shaped somewhat like a marlinspike, to the 
ground ; the art consisting in getting the sharp end to strike it 
just in front of rings placed on the ground, in such a way that 
the piece of iron remained standing. Others were engaged in 
playing a game resembling our nine-pins ; others, again, in 
wrestling, &c. The Eussians and Samoyeds played with each 
other without distinction. ■- The Samoyeds, small of stature, 
dirty, with matted, unkempt hair, were clad in dirty summer 
clothes of skin, sometimes with a showy-coloured cotton shirt 
drawn over them; the Eussians (probably originally of the 
Finnish race and descendants of the old Beormas) tall, well- 
grown, with long hair shining with oil, ornanientally parted, 
combed, and frizzled, and held together by a head band, or 
covered with a cap resembling that shown in the accompanying 
