OF

SIBERIA.

BY A BANISHED LADY.

EDITED BY

COLONEL LACH SZYRMA,

AUTHOR OF

** LETTERS ON POLAND," "ANGLIA I SZKOCYA," &c. &c.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:

COLBURN AND CO., PUBLISHERS,

GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.

1852.

Fabulous account of the bear Degeneracy of the

Russians, and courage of the natives-Bear-hunting-

Superstitious veneration of the bear-White bears-

Ceremonial observance of a husband's death-Winter

aspect of Berezov-Ostiak costume-Probability of

early communication between Siberia and North

America

1

CHAPTER II.

Refusal of marriage at church Purchase of wives-

Figure of Shaitan and his worship — Priesthood of

Shamanism—Their influence, juggleries, and sooth-

saying—Treatment of women in child-bed-Funeral

and laments-Pictures in the church-A black thief

Integrity of the natives - Cattle in search of

pasture-Artificial system of breeding-Instinct of a

19

COW

.

CHAPTER III.

A dream of home--Murder of a wife by her husband

Barbarous notions of matrimony-An Ostiak cradle

-Zarutchaï cemetery at night-Walk through an

underwood–The ideal and the every-day world. 47

CHAPTER IV.

Herds of reindeer-Capture of a horse-Scarcity of

water-Novel employment for dogs - Freezing of

rivers--Excursion in sledges-Wave-like surface of

the ice-An encounter

62

CHAPTER V.

Drive in a narta-Peculiarities and use of the reindeer-

Their pasture—Their herds in the Ural-Use of their

skins and flesh-Their swiftness and powers of en-

durance-Manner of travelling in Siberia-Fish-skin

and mica-slate windows-Fuel—Tremulous state of

the atmosphere—Three hours of daylight-No clock

in town—Manner of notifying the hours-Tale-telling

party-Two Ostiak tales—The hunters-Old Friend's

Reindeer

73