Siberia in Asia: a visit to the valley of the Yenesay in East Siberia. With description of the natural history, migration of birds, etc. ... With map, etc

Preface

. * Siberia in Asia' is a pendant to ' Siberia in Europe.' It is a narrative of a longer and more adventurous journey on the other side of the Urals, undertaken two years afterwards, but with the same objects in view. In 1875 I had the advantage of enjoying the companionship of an ornithologist as enthusiastic as myself, but in 1877 I was obliged to do my bird work alone. It is possible, however, that the general reader may not regret the change, and may find the dash of commercial enterprise and Arctic exploration reflected from Captain Wiggins a pleasant relief from the monotony of the toujours oiseaux of my former volume. To some extent, however, ' Siberia in Asia ' must be a repetition of - Siberia in Europe.' Though the meridian of the Caspian is altered to the meridian of the Gulf of Bengal, the latitude remains the same, but I venture to hope that a previous glimpse of the forests and the tundra of the Petchora will have added to rather than have detracted from the interest of the

PREFACE.

. VI reader in the forests and the tundra of the Yenesay. The more one knows of any subject the more one wants to know. Siberia is no longer the terra incognita that it once was. The narrative of the expedition of Drs. Finch and Brehm to the valley of the Obb has not yet appeared in an English dress, but every one interested in Arctic exploration has read Baron Nordenskiold's account of the wonderful voyage of the Vega from Lapland to Behring's Straits, and the overland route from Moscow to Vladivostok forms tbe piece de resistance in the bill of fare which the Rev. Henry Lansdell offers us in the description of his journey round the world. Siberia is no longer a synonym of dreary barrenness, and the reader is not surprised to learn that it is a magnificent country of superb forests, and cornfields capable of rivalling those of Minnesota, whilst its mineral wealth includes iron equal in quality to that of Sweden, and gold almost as abundant as that of California, to say nothing of copper, salt and coal.

Siberia is in fact a second Canada in reserve, and tbe political geographer, looking into the far future and wondering what is to become of the surplus population and capital of the English and Teutonic races when North America shall be as thickly populated as Europe, may postpone his anxieties for many centuries, to allow time for the civilisation of Siberia to reopen the problem. I have endeavoured to make the ornitholoe-ical

PREFACE.

. VII part of my book as interesting to the general reader as possible. As before, I have added particulars of the geographical distribution of the birds mentioned in the form of notes, but I have confined these to the birds which we did not find on the first journey, not deeming it necessary to repeat the notes of my former volume. - Siberia in Asia' has been written in the intervals of leisure from other literary work and appears some what late, but I trust that the delay in its publication has not impaired in any way the interest of the subject, and as most of it is copied from a journal written on the spot, I hope that it may read as fresh as if it had appeared at once. I am indebted to my friend Mr. Charles Whymper for many of the illustrations in this as well as in the former volume, and do not doubt that the reader will be as much pleased with them as myself.

The names of places in Siberia which are to be found in our maps are not reproductions in English letters of the Russian names. They are, for the most part, attempts to render the Russian pronunciation phonetically. The spelling is, however, only phonetic when it is pronounced by a German. The consequence is that Englishmen almost invariably pronounce these names wrongly. To obviate this source of error I have attempted to spell all the Siberian names phonetically in English. The irregularities in the pronunciation

PREFACE.

. VIII of our language have made this somewhat difficult, but by dividing the words into syllables, and by the use of accents, I trust that no doubt can exist as to the correct pronunciation of any word, though possibly in some cases familiar names of places may be scarcely recognisable in their new dress. For instance Irkutsk, Irbit, and Irtish appear as they are pronounced — Eer kutsk', Eer-beet', and Eer'-tish ; whilst Lake Baical and the river Lena are spelt phonetically Lake By kal' and the river Lay'-na. This does not look very satisfactory, but I have been obliged of two evils to choose the lesser. CONTENTS. CHAPTEE I. Sir Hugh Willoughby's voyage to Nova Zembla— Ancient voyage across the Kara Sea — Modern voyage across the Kara Sea — Captain Wiggins' voyage in 1876 — Ornithological Arctic expeditions — Letters of introduction from Count Schouvaloff — Recent expeditions to Siberia — Professor Nordenskiold's extraordinary success — Rare birds obtained by him Page 1

Chapter II. From London To Odessa

At St. Petersburg — Political feeling in Russia — FeeliDg against England — Russian arguments against the policy of England — At Moscow — ■ Irkutsk and the Siberiaks — At Nishni Novgorod — The journey before us — Our sledge — Birds — At Kazan — Roads between Kazan and Perm — At Perm — At Kongoor — The Urals — Birds — We enter Asia — ■ Ekatereenburg — Tyumain — The Steppes — Villages of the Crescent and the Cross — Russian and Mahomedan clergy — Cheap provisions — ■ Birds 11

Chapter III

Omsk — -From Omsk to Tomsk — Sledging — Birds — Tomsk — Tomsk to Krasnoyarsk — Birds — Krasnoyarsk — Prices — Beaten by the south wind — Frost again — Birds — Yenesaisk — Our visitors — Scientific expeditions — Birds — Our lodgings — Easter-day festivities — I hire a young Jew — Lessons in Bird-skinning — New sledges — Down the precipices — Russian hospitality — Special couriers — Deceptive appearance of the road — Winding roads — Epidemic among the horses — Race with the south wind — The Kahmin Pass — Stopped by the rain — The Kahmin Pass in December — The Pass in April — The south wind beaten .. .. •• ■• •• ■• •• •• CONTENTS. X

Chapter IV

Stations— Hospitality of the peasants— Furs and their prices— Dogs drawing sledges— Birds— Visit to a monastery— Graphite— Captain Wiggins' former travelling companion — An honest Russian official ! — Installed as guest in the house of the Sessedatel— Toorokansk — We turn shopkeepers—The Scopsee— Scarcity of birds— Old Gazenkampf— Our host's tricks— The Blagachina — The second priest— The priest's accomplishments — The Postmaster— The Secretary of the Sessedatel — Schwanenberg 's troubles .. .. .. .. •■ •• •• 40

Chapter V

Soft roads— Sledging with dogs — Sledging with reindeer — We reach the Thames — Cost of travelling — The Yenesay river — Good health of the Thames crew — Precautions against scurvy — Fatal .results of neglect — Picturesqueness of our winter quarters — View from the house — Through the forest on snow-shoes — Birds — The Nutcracker — Continued excursions in the forest — Danger ahead . . . . . . . . 53

Chapter VI

The Ostyaks of the Yenesay — An Ost}-ak baby — A new bird — Visit from the Blagachina and the Postmaster — Black-Cocks in the forest — The Capercailzie — Wary crows — Stacks of firewood — Result of a week's shooting .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 61 CHAPTEK VII. Scarcity of birds — Arrival of Ostyaks — Snow spectacles — Ostyak dress — ■ Poverty of the Ostyaks — Schwanenberg goes in search, of graphite — Ostyak ideas concerning the covering of the hair — Hazel-Grouse — Difference of Tungoosk and Ostyak hair-dressing — The weather — Superstition about shooting crows — A token of coming spring — Scarcity of glass — Double windows — Geographical distribution of the Samoyades — Of the Yuraks — Of the Ostyaks— of the Dolgahns — Of the Yahkuts — of the Tungoosks .. .. .. .. .. 67

Chapter VIII

Erection of an Ostyak Choom — Ornithological results of the week CONTENTS. XI An Ostyak feast — Comparison of Ostyaks and Tungoosks — Snowy Owl — Our first rain in the Arctic Circle — Further signs of approaching summer — Northern Marsh Tit — Ornithological results of the third week — White-tailed -Eagle — Snowstorm — A solitary Barn-Swallow — A wintry day — A Fox — The river rises — Five roubles for an Eagle — What became of the roubles — Visit from our Ostyak neighbour — A baby Fox — Our two babies — A crow's nest — The Blue-rumped Warbler .. .. .. .. .. .. , .. .. 75

Chapter IX

Weary waiting for summer — Ravens — More Ostyak neighbours — The ship breaks her bands of ice — A Hen Harrier — Appearance of the rising river — Premature migration of Geese — My week's work — Old story of thaw in the sun and frost in the shade — Last day of May — Revolutions in the ice — A range of ice mountains — Signs of summer — Arrival of the Common Gull and of the White Wagtail — Ice breaking up — An unprepared-1'or contingency — Dangerous position— Driving along with the ice — Loss. of the ship's rudder — Preparations to abandon the ship — Babel of birds — We desert the ship— On hoard again — The Thames steered into the creek — Enormous pressure on the ice — The battle of the Yenesay — Calving of icebergs — the final march past .. 86

Chapter X

Arrival of migratory birds — Wagtails — The Tliames afloat once more — More birds arrive — An Ostyak funeral — Birds arrive fast — The Tungoosk ice coming down — New birds — Pintail Snipe — Mosquitoes on shewing .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 102

Chapter XI

Four species added to my list — Dotterel — Rapid rise of the river — Open water — Arrival of the Great Snipe — Pallas's Sand-Martin — Common Sandpiper — Characteristics of the native tribes — Ship repairs — Pine Bunting — Ice lost in the forest — Glinski's industry — Ruby-throated Warbler — Waxwings— Death of a Tungoosk — Funeral rites — Disease of the natives — Their improvidence — Uselessness of the priests 112

Chapter XII

Birds — Trip across the Yen-e-say' — The Himalayan Cuckoo — Lost in the CONTENTS. forest — Wood floating down the river — Two arrivals — Startling news — Spring flowers — Second visit to the other side of the Yen-e-say' — Habits of the Great Snipe — Song of the Scarlet Bullfinch — Number of birds — Striped Squirrels — Gull perching — The Siberian Ground Thrash — A new bird — My new schooner the Ibis — Song of the Yellow-browed Warbler — Ost'-yak fishing season — Important observations made on the other side of the Koo-ray'-i-ka— The Dusky Ouzel — The Moun tain Hedge-Sparrow. The Siberian Pipit — Nest of the Little Bunting — The sorest on the other side of the Koo-ray'-i-ka — Eastern Stone chat — Another round in the forest — Old Von Gazenkampf again — Universal system of plunder carried on in distant districts — The Mayor of Yen-e-saisk' — Russian commercial morality .. .. 124 CHAPTEB XIII.

Birds begin to grow scarce — Absence of the Nutcrackers — Fertile hybrids between Hooded and Carrion Crows — Nest of the Yellow-browed Warbler — Birds plentiful in the early morning — Arctic Willow- Warbler — Nest of the Dark Ouzel — Second nest of tbe Little Bunting — Leaving the Koo-ray'-i-ka — New birds identified each week — Parting with our friends .. .. ., .. .. .. .. 142 * CHAPTEB XIV. Contrary winds — Aground on a sandbank — Ost'-yaks to the rescue — Visit on shore — Nest of the Siberian Chiffchaff— Birds in the forest— Under weigh again — Wreck of the ill-starred Thames — Arrangements for the f"ture #i 150 CHAPTEB XV. Wild flowers— Willow-Warbler's nest — Windy weather — Tracks of a bear in the sand— A Snipe's nest— Nest of the Arctic Willow- Warbler— Tbe Captain and his crew — British pluck and blunder — On the way again— Measuring the footprints of Swans— The river bank— Purchasing costumes of the various races — Manner of hunting the Sable Coal from the Tundras .. .. .. ., jgg

CHAPTER XVI.

The Tundra — The dried-up Doo-dink'-a— Reception by the birds— Variety of birds— The Chet'-ta river— Sam'-o-yade chooms— The broad nose of CONTENTS. XIII Tol'-sta-noss' — Second visit to the Tundra — Asiatic Golden Plover's nest — A night on the Tundra — The Dunlin — News of Sideroff's schooner — Winter in Siberia — The fishing station — The King of the Sam'-o-yades — Egg of the Red-breasted Goose — Brek'-uff sky Island — Eggs of the Mountain Accentor — Various eggs — Wearied out — Ugliness of the natives — Land on the horizon .. .. .. .. 168

CHAPTER XVII.

Gol-cheek'-a — Blowing eg;s — Drift-wood on the swamp — The Little Stint — Rock Ptarmigan — I secure a passage to Yen-e-saisk' — Fighting over the Ibis — Buffon's Skuas — Shell mounds — The Captains come to terms — Sandbanks at the mouth of the Gol-cheek'-a — Farewell to the Tundra ' 181

CHAPTER XVIII.

Climate of the Tundra — Break-up of the ice— Migration of birds in the. south of France — Comparison between island and continental migration — Routes of migration — Grouse — Conservatism of birds— Mortality amongst migrants — Origin of migration — -Glacial Epochs — Emigration of birds — Geographical distribution of Thrushes — Reports on the migration of birds .. .. .. .. .. .. 191

CHAPTER XIX.

Ornithological spoils — My three companions — The native tribes — Birds on a little island — Dol-gahn' names for various articles of clothing — An islaud rich in birds — The Siberian Pipit — Temminck's Stint — The Arctic Accentor — My doubts cleared concerning the Thrush seen at Brek'- off-sky — " Die Wilden " — Evil influences — Need of a hero in Siberia — The two curses of Russia — Baptized natives retaining their charms and idols — The strange hours we kept — Marriage ceremonies — Funeral ceremonies — Diseases — Birds seen on approaching Doo-dink'-a — Vair'- shin-sky — Golden Plover frequenting the summit of larch-trees — Gulls — Mosquitoes — The Thames — An impenetrable island — Koo-ray'-i-ka in its summer aspect .. .. .. .. .. .. 207

CHAPTER XX.

Sil-o-vah'-noff — Hospitality of the inhabitants — Interior of one of the houses CONTENTS. XIV —A model village — The sect of the Scopsee — Their exile — A fish dinner — Birds near Sil-o-vah'-noff — Redstart — Lost in the forest — The steamer aground — Michael Susloff — A tipsy Blagachina — Discussion about Siberia — Its gold mines the ruin of its prosperity — A dense forest — Birds on the banks — Verkh-nah'-ya Am-bat'-skia — Decrease of the Ost'-yaks — Their boats and canoes — Birds on the pasture land — The sorest trees of the Yen-e-say' — Larch — Spruce fir — Siberian spruce fir — Scotch fir — Cedar — Birch- — Alder and juniper — Poplar — Pic turesque scenery — Two new birds added to my list — The Kahmin Pass — The Ibex — Hot weather — The amount of wood our engines con sumed — Our hostess's hospitality — A poor bag — Vegetation in the forest — The Black Kite — The Tass — Yair-mak — Barn-Swallows 222

CHAPTER XXI.

Occe more in Yen-e-saisk' — Country on the banks of the Yen-e-say' — ■ Moulting birds — Blyth's Dusky Willow-Warbler — Nordenskiold's goods — A holiday — A dinner party at the Ispravniks — From Yen-esaisk' to Kras-no-yarsk' — Three days at Kras-no-yarsk' — The Club — Telegraph communication — Scurvy amongst the Tungoosks — The neighbouring country — From Kras-no-yarsk' to Tomsk — Magnificence of the autumn foliage — The villages — The birds — Difficulties in the way — A friendly Ispravnik — Tomsk — The wreck of the Thames .. 241

CHAPTER XXII.

From Tomsk to Tyu-main' — An old acquaintance — Cost of steamboat travelling — Cooking — Tobolsk — Contrast between Russian and Tartar villages — Threading the labyrinth of the Toor-a — The Black Kite —Cormorants — Asiatic White Crane — Notes of Sandpipers — Tyumain' — Russian hotel accommodation — Bad roads — Ekatereenburo- Recrossing the Ural — Iron works — Kongoor — New railways — The bi" village 255

CHAPTER XXIII.

Perm — De-Tartarization of Russia — The Siberiak — Heavy rain — Autumnal tints- — Kazan — Search for a Professor — Museum — Tartars — Steamboat accident — The Volga — Nishni Novgorod- — Moscow — Museum — St. Petersburg .. .. .. .. .. .. ti CONTENTS. XV

CHAPTER XXIV.

St. Petersburg — Turkish War — Corruption of Russian officials — Commercial morality — Russian servants — Turkish misrule — Christianity of the Turks — Childishness of the Russian peasants — Russian conservatism — Financial position .. .. .. .. .. . 277

CHAPTER XXV.

Ornithological results of the trip — Siberian forms of birds — Discoveries of Pallas — Comparison of European and Siberian birds — Interbreeding of allied species — Affinity of European and Japanese species — Sub-species — Conclusion .. .. .. .. .. .. .. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FACE Captain Wiggins .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Ostyaks or the Obb .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 Samoyade Pipe .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 Boundary between Edeope and Asia .. .. .. .. 11 Bkonze Ornament from Ancient Grave near Krasnoyarsk 22 Sledging is a Snow-storm .. .. .. .. .. 23 Siberian Fishing Village .. .. .. .. .. 31 Samoyade Snow Spectacles .. .. .. .. .. 39 Siberian Dog Sledge .. .. .. .. .. .. 40 Ostyak Cradle .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 52 Inside an Ostyak Choom .. .. .. .. .. .. 53 Dolgaiin Belt and Trappings .. .. .. .. .. 56 Samoyade, Ostyak, and Tungoosk Pipes .. .. .. 60 Reindeer Sledge on the Koorayika .. .. .. .. 61 Tungoosk Pii'e and Belt .. .. .. .. .. .. 66 Winter Quarters of the "Thames" .. .. .. .. 67 Bronze Knives from Ancient Grave near Krasnoyarsk .. 74 Ostyak Choom .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 75 Ostyak Costume .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 83 Bronze Bit from Ancient Grave near Krasnoyarsk .. 85 Driving with the Ice on the Koorayika .. .. .. 86 Ostyak Anchor .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ioi Gulls among the Icebergs .. .. .. .. -p 102 Ostyak Pipe .. .. .. .. ,. ., _, iqq Ostyak Drill .. .. .. .. .. .. 109 Russian Pipe .. .. .. .. .. ..

HI LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. XVII ■'Ac 1-: Dolgahn Hunter with Ostyak Bow and Drum of Samoyade Shamman .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 112 Ostyak Arrow-heads .. .. .. .. .. .. 118 Russian Eikon (brass and enamel) .. .. .. .. 120 Bronze from Ancient Grave near Krasnoyarsk .. .. 123 Summer Quarters on the Koorayika .. .. .. .. 124 Russian Eikon (brass and enamel) .. .. .. .. 141 Samoyade Man. Dolgahn Woman .. .. .. .. 142 Tungoosk Pipe .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 149 Wreck of the "Thames" .. .. .. .. .. .. 150 Samoyade Pipe .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 154 Yurak Hunter .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 158 Mammoth Tooth (upper view) .. .. .. .. .. 164 Mammoth Tooth (under view) .. .. .. .. .. 167 Samoyades erecting a Choom .. .. .. .. .. 168 Golcheeka .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 180 Shell Mounds on the Tundra .. .. .. .. .. 181 Shells .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 187 Samoyade Pipe .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 190 Ostyak Boats .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 191 Bronze Fork from Ancient Grave near Krasnoyarsk . . 206 Island in the Yenesay .. .. .. .. .. .. 207 Bronze Mirror from Ancient Grave near Krasnoyarsk .. 213 Dolgahn and Samoyade Boots .. .. .. .. .. 221 Kahmin Pass .. 222 Bunch of Squirrels' Skins .. .. .. .. .. 227 Tungoosk Fetish .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 240 Kahmin Pass .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 241 Dolgahn Ladies' Bonnet .. .. .. .. .. .. 246 Tungoosk Summer Dress .. .. .. .. .. .. 254 Village on the Obb .. .. .. .. .. .. 255 Dolgahn Quiver (Border of Yurak Soveek in background) 261 Bronze Celt from Ancient Grave near Krasnoyarsk .. 267 Ostyak Choom on the Obb.. .. .. .. .. .. 268 Russian Pipe .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 274 b LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

XVIII PAGE Bronze from Ancient Grave near Krasnoyarsk .. .. 276 Tartar Girl .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 277 Bronze Celt from Ancient Grave near Krasnoyarsk .. 287 Carrion and Hooded Crows and Hybrids .. .. .. 288 Bronze Celt from Ancient Grave near Krasnoyarsk .. 291 Bronze Celt from Ancient Grave near Krasnoyarsk . . 293 Bronze Eikon 298 Map .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. At the end CAPTAIN WIGGINS SIBERIA IN ASIA.

Chapter I

Sir Hugh Willoughby's voyage to Nova Zembla — Ancient voyages across the Kara Sea — Modern voyages across the Kara Sea — Captain Wiggins's voyage in 1876 — Ornithological Arctic expeditions — Letters of introduction from Count, Schouvaloff — Recent expeditions to Siberia — Professor Nordenskiold's extraordinary success — Rare birds obtained by him. Three hundred years ago, when Ivan the Terrible reigned over Russia, and the Slave and Tartar races were struggling in mortal combat, a peaceful expedition left the shores of Britain, under the command of Sir Hugh Willoughby. }■ Three ships were sent to the Arctic region on a wild-goose chase after the semi-fabulous land of Cathay; a country where it was popularly supposed that the richest furs might be bought for an old song, where the rarest spices might be had for the plucking, and where the rivers rippled over sands of gold.

Like so many other Arctic expeditions, this proved a failure. Poor Sir Hugh Willoughby, it is supposed, discovered one of the islands of Nova Zembla, but was afraid to winter there, and landed on the Kola peninsula, where he and all his crew were starved to death. Another ship belonging to the same expedition, com manded by Richard Chancellor, was more fortunate. It was separated from the others by a heavy storm, and driven by contrary winds into the White Sea. Chancellor not only saved his ship and the lives of his crew, but discovered Archangel, which subsequently became a little English colony. At that time the inhabitants of Archangel were actually carrying on a trade with this wonderful land of Cathay. In their flat-bottomed lodkas, sewn together with willow twigs, they skirted the east coast of the WThite Sea, and dragged their boats across the Eanin peninsula.

They coasted the southern shores of the Arctic Ocean, and passing through the Kara gates, entered the Kara Sea. On the Yalmal peninsula they found a river, the head of which brought them to a narrow watershed, across which they again pushed their boats, coming to another river, which brought them into the gulf of the Obb. Crossing this gulf they entered the gulf of the Taz, at the head of which was the once famous town of Mangasee, where a great annual CHAP. I. CAPTAIN WIGGINS. 3 fair was held. This fair was frequented by merchants who brought tea, silks, and spices down the Obb and the Yen-e-say' to barter with the Russian merchants, who returned to Archangel the same season. In the " struggle for existence," which commenced on the opening out of the port of Archangel to British commerce, according to the inevitable law of the "survival of the fittest," this Russian maritime enterprise languished and finally died, and thenceforth the inhabitants of the banks of Dvina received their silks and their tea via the Thames instead of the Obb and the Yen-e-say' ; and ever since the commercial world seems to have taken it for granted that the Kara Sea was unnavigable, and that the Kara gates were closed by impenetrable bars of ice.

During the last few years considerable efforts have been made, principally by Professor Nordenskiold of Stockholm and Captain Wiggins of Sunderland to reopen this ancient route, and to re-establish a trade with Siberia via the Kara Sea. In 1874 Captain Wiggins chartered the well-known Arctic steam yacht the Diana, and passing through the Kara gates, explored the entrance to the Obb and the Yen-e-say', and returned to England in safety. In 1875 Professor Nordenskiold chartered a walrus sloop at Hammer fest, and entering the Kara Sea through the Matoshkin scar, landed in the gulf of the Yen-e-say'. The walrus sloop returned to Europe in safety, leaving the Professor to make his way up the river in a boat as far as Yen-e-saisk', whence he returned to Stockholm by the overland route. In 1876 both these gentlemen attempted to take a cargo to Siberia via, the Kara Sea.

Professor Nordenskiold was the first to arrive, and fortunately failing to find a channel up the Yen-e-say' deep enough for his steamer, he landed his goods at a little village called Kor'-e-o-poff '-sky, about a hundred miles up the Yen-e-say', and returned to Europe without any mishap. As will hereafter appear, Captain Wiggins was less fortunate. He left Sunderland on the 8th of July in the Thames, Arctic steam yacht (120 tons), and entered the Kara Sea on the 3rd of August. The ice prevented him from sailing direct to the mouths of the great rivers, so he spent some time in surveying the coast and the By'-der-at'-skerry Gulf, and did not reach the mouthof the Obb until the 7th of September. Here he lay at anchor some time iu the hope that a favourable wind might enable him to ascend the Obb against the strong current ; but the weather proving tempestuous and the wind contrary, he abandoned the attempt, and ran for the Yen-e-say'.

He commenced the ascent of that river on the 23rd of September, and after a tedious voyage, struggling against contrary winds and shallow water, he finally laid his vessel up on the Arctic Circle, half a mile up the Koo-ray'-i-ka, on the 17th of October, 1200 miles from the mouth of the Yen-e-say'. The following morning the ship was frozen up in winter quarters. A room in a peasant's house on the banks of the river, looking down on to the ship, was rigged up for the crew, and as soon as the ice on the river was thick enough to make sledging safe, Captain Wiggins returned to England by the overland route. In 1875 Harvie-Brown and I visited the delta of the CHAP. I." FINSCH AND BREHM. 5 Petchora in North-East Russia, and brought home an un usually interesting collection of birds, eggs, and ethnological curiosities from the tundras of Siberia-in-Europe.

In 1876 Drs. Finsch and Brehm made an expedition to the Obb. extending still further east our recent zoological and ethnological knowledge of these interesting regions. Hearing that Captain Wiggins was in England, and likely to rejoin his ship, with the intention of returning in her to Europe through the Kara Sea, I lost no time in putting myself in communication with him. I was anxious to carry our ornithological and ethnological researches a step further to the eastward, so as to join on with those of Middendorf, Schrenck, and Radde in East Siberia. I made the acquaintance of Captain Wiggins on the 23rd of February, and came to the conclusion that an opportunity of travelling with a gentleman who had already made the journey, and consequently 'knew the ropes,' might never occur again. Captain Wiggins told me that it was his intention to start from London on the return journey in three days.

I finally arranged with him to give me five days to make the necessary preparations for accompanying him. I wrote to Count Schouvaloff, who had given my companion and myself excellent letters of introduction on our Petchora journey, asking him to be kind enough to send to my rooms in London similar letters for my proposed Yen-e-say' expedition, and I am happy in now having an opportunity of publicly expressing my warmest thanks to his Excellency for his kindness in furnishing me, at a moment's notice, with letters of introduction to General Timarscheff, the Minister of the Interior at St. Petersburg, which proved of the greatest service to me on my long and adventurous journey. OSTYAKS OF THE 013H. The details of this journey, how we travelled nearly six thousand miles to the ship, and how we lost her, and had to travel home again by land, form the subject of the present volume.

The reader may, however, feel some interest in CHAP. I. CAPTAIN WIGGINS. 7 following the narrative of the attempts to explore the North- East Passage, beyond the loss of the ill-starred Thames. The success of Captain Wiggins in reaching the Yen-e say' in 1876 encouraged two steamers to make the attempt in the following year, the year of our disasters. The Louise succeeded in ascending the Obb and the Ir'-tish as far as Tobolsk, where she wintered, returning with a cargo in safety the following autumn. Tlie Frazer reached Gol cheek'-a on the Yen-e-say', where a cargo of wheat ought to have met her, but in consequence of the cowardice or the blunders — not to say the dishonesty — of the persons in charge, the cargo never arrived, and the steamer was forced to return empty. Notwithstanding his misfortunes, Captain Wiggins stuck bravely to his enterprise, and 1878 saw him again in the Obb with a steamer, the Warkworth, drawing 12 feet of water.