Vi-] 
HOSPITABLE SAMOYEDS. 
307 
probably about 100 kilometres, for the most part along the 
coast, they had to leave even the sledges and the most of what 
they had with them. The seventh or eighth day they caught 
sight of a little pile of fuel, and the track of a sledge in the 
snow. By following this track for about ten kilometres they 
found a small house, inhabited by Samoyeds, who immediately 
gave them a friendly reception, and entertained them in the 
most hospitable way. In particular they showed much kindness 
to Nils Andreas Foxen, whose toes were frost-bitten, and who 
was in other respects much enfeebled. 
These Samoyeds, three men, three women, and a boy, spoke 
Kussian. They had settled for the winter on the south part of 
Gooseland to shoot the seal and the walrus. They had with 
them a large barge, besides some small Samoyed boats, and were 
comparatively well provided with reindeer flesh, meal, tea 
sugar, &c. Their guns were old flint-lock fowling-pieces, but 
they were good shots. With these Samoyeds the four ship¬ 
wrecked men remained the whole winter, and were tolerably 
well off. When the weather permitted they assisted the 
Samoyeds in capturing seals, and when the weather was bad they 
passed the time as well as they could, the Samoyeds generally 
employing themselves in playing cards or draughts. In order 
to avoid scurvy the Samoyeds often took exercise in the open 
air, and ate reindeer flesh, partly cooked and partly raw, and 
drank the blood. They lived in the house until March was well 
advanced, when, for want of fuel, they were obliged to hew it 
down. Instead they removed into a tent of reindeer skin. 
These Samoyeds appear to have been Christians in name, 
though they must have had strange ideas of their new God. 
When, for instance, they saw a seal and missed shooting it, they 
shot at the sun, because they believed that God was angry 
with them. They lived in a sort of marriage, but if the man 
became unfriendly to the woman, or tired of her, he could 
take another; they had no clocks, but, notwithstanding, had a 
X 2' 
