VIII.] 
NAVIGATION OF THE YENISEI. 
359 
which were commonly made from a steam launch in advance, to 
endeavour to find out the proper course. The navigable water 
between the level islands covered with bushy thickets and rich 
grassy meadows was often very narrow, but appears to have 
been pretty deep, as, even when the vessels went forward with¬ 
out the guidance of a skilful pilot, there was a depth of from 
5 to 30 metres; and after a fisher, who knew the river better 
than Feodor, had been taken on board, it was found possible to 
go at full speed between the more southerly of the Briochov 
Islands^ in a depth of 30 to 50 metres. On 14th August the 
vessels reached Tolstojnos, where a very well preserved simovie 
is situated about 70'’ 10' N.L., 370 kilometres south of Port 
Dickson. On the 15th August they anchored in a good haven 
at Saostrovskoj, a simovie lying 100 kilometres farther up the 
river at the limit of trees, where the goods were to be discharged 
and another cargo taken on board. After a jetty had been 
constructed on the 16th, the landing of the goods began on the 
17th, and was finished on the 20th. The Fraser went still farther 
up the river to Dudino, in order to load various goods laid up 
there—tallow, wheat, rye, and oats. On the 2nd September 
the steamer returned to Saostrovskoj, where in the meantime 
the Express had taken on board her cargo. 
Dudino is a church village, situated at the point where the 
river Dudinka flows into the Yenisej. Here live two priests, a 
smotritel (a police official), a couple of exiles, some Bussian 
workmen, and a number of natives, as well as the owner of the 
place, the influential merchant Sotnikoff. This active and 
able man is in an economical point of view ruler over the whole 
of the surrounding region, all whose inhabitants are in one way 
or other dependent upon him. He exchanges grain, brandy, 
sugar, tea, iron goods, powder and lead, cloth and leather, for 
furs, fish, mammoth-ivory, &c. ; and these goods are sent by 
^ With this name, for want of another, I denote all the innumerable 
islands which lie in the Yenisej between 69° 45' and 71° N.L. 
