362 
THE VOYAG-E OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
full, because it gives in several respects a very graphic picture 
of various social relations in these remote regions. The copy of 
the coutract which has been communicated to me when 
translated runs thus :— 
At Yakutsk, in the year one thousand eight hundred and 
seventy-eight on the 18th February, I, the undersigned Yakut 
Afonasii Feodoroff Winokuroff, have concluded the follow¬ 
ing contract with IvAN Platonowitsch Kolesoff, merchant 
of the second guild in the town of Yakutsk. 
1. I, Winokuroff bind myself as pilot to carry the vessel of 
Professor Nordenskiold’s expedition up the river Lena from the 
village Tas-Ary, which lies about 150 versts below the village 
Bulun. From Tumat Island, which is situated in the north¬ 
eastern part of the Lena delta, I bind myself for the piloting of 
the same vessel to procure at my own cost among the inhabitants 
of the place a pilot who knows well the deepest channel of the 
Lena river as far as the village Tas-Ary. This pilot the chief 
of the expedition shall discharge at the village Tas-Ary. 
2. As I am not master of the Russian language I bind my¬ 
self to bring along with me a Yakut interpreter, who knows the 
Russian language and is able to write. In May of this year, I, 
Winokuroff, with the interpreter shall travel from the town 
of Yakutsk down the Lena river to Tumat Island and there 
along with the interpreter wait for the expedition. 
3. During the passage down the river I am bound to hire 
among the inhabitants of the regions a competent guide, who 
shall accompany us in my own boats to the island by the 
deepest channel in the Lena delta. During the passage from 
the village Tas-Ary I shall take soundings and record the depth 
of the fairway. 
4. Between the village Bulun and Tumat Island, I bind 
myself to seek for two places for the wintering of the vessel, 
which are quite suitable for the purpose, and protected from ice. 
I shall further lay before the commander of the expedition a 
journal containing everything which I can find that it would be 
advantageous to know for the safety of navigation and for the 
wintering of the vessels, also accounts of the places which are 
dangerous or unsuitable for navigation. 
5. On my arrival at Tumat Island I shall make it my first 
duty to find a deep and convenient haven for the seagoing vessels 
on the western side of the island. For this purpose I bind myself 
to have with me two boats, which, if necessary, shall be given 
