The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1841-01-14

to fly from the mosquitoes and other insects
which, literally speaking, torment them 10
death. ...
In good years, the migrating body Of rein
deer consists of many thousands, and though
they are divided into herds of two or three
hundred each, yet the herds keep so near to-
gether as to form only one immense mass,
which is sometimes from fifty to one hundred
versts in breadth. As each separate herd ap-
proaches the river, the deer draw more closely |
together, and the largest and strongest takes
the lead. He advances, closely followed by
few ofthe others, with head erect, and ap- |
parently intent on examining the locality. |
When he has satisfied himself he enters the
river, the rest of the herd crowd after him, and
in few minutes, tile surface is covered with
th EN-.
Then the hunters, who had been concealed
to leeward, rush in their light canoos from their
hiding-places, surrounded the deer, and delay
their passage, whilst two or three chosen men,
armed with short spears, dash into the middle
of the herd, and despatch large numbers in an
| incredibly short time; or, at least, wound them
SO, that if they reach the bank il is only TO fall
into the hands ofthe women and children.
The office OF the spearman is a very dan
gerous one. 1t is no easy thing to keep the
| light boat aftoat among the dense crowd Of the
swimming deer, which, moreover, make con-
siderable resistance; the males with their horns,
teeth, and hind-legs, whilst the females try to
oVerset the boat by getting their fore-feet over
the gunnel; if they succeed in this, the hunter
is lost, for it is hardly possible that he should
extricate himself from the throng, but the skill
of these people is so great, that accidents very
rarely occur. A good hunter may kill one
hundred or more in less than half an hour.
When the herd is large, and gets into disorder,
it often happens that their antlers become
tangled with each other; they are then unable
to defend themselves, and the business is much
easier Meanwhile, the rest of the boats pick
up the slain, and fasten them together with
thongs, and every one is allowed to keep what
he lays hold of in this manner. 1t might seem
that in this way nothing would be left to re-
quite the spearmen for their skill, and the dam
ger they have encountered; but whilst every
thing taken in the river is the property of who
soever secures it, the wounded animals which
reach the bank before they fall, belong to the
spearmsR who wounded them. The skill and
experience of these men are such, that in the
thickest of the conflict when every energy is
taxed to the uttermost, and their life is every
moment at stake, they have sufficient presence
of mind to contrive TO measure the force of their
blows so as to kill the smaller animals outright,
but only to wound the larger and finer ones, SO
that they may be Just able to.reach the bank.
Such proceeding is not sanctioned by the gener-
al voice, but it seems, nevertheless, to be al
most always practiced. .....-.
'eThe whole scene is Of a most singular and
curious character and quite understandable.
The throng of thousands of swimming reindeer
the sound produced by the striking together o
their antlers, the swift canoes dashing il
amongst them, the terror ofthe frightened ami.
mails, the danger of the huntsmen, the shouts
of warning, advice, or applause from their
friends, the blood stained water, and all the ac
, companying circumstances, form whole which
; no one can picture to himself without having
witnessed the scene"
Sometimes the reindeer hunt fails, and then
the importance of the animal to the natives is
} shown by the most deplorabe consequences.
On one occasion, when Admirable Wrangell
was present, the natives, who were waiting in
a state Of almost utter starvation for the appear
: ance of the herds, "were filled with Joy by i'm
, mense numbers of reindeer approaching the
, right bank of the river opposite to Lobasnoloe.
l never saw such multitude of these animals.
r At a distance, their antlers resembled moving
) forest. Crowds of people 1ocked in on every
side, and hope beamed on every couutenance as
they arranged themselves in their light boats, to
J await the passage of the deer. But whether the
animals had seen, and were terrified at, the
crowds of people, or whatever the reason may
have been, after short pause, they turned, left
the bank, and disappeared among the mountains
The utter despair of the poor starving people
4 was dreadful to witness 1t manifested itsell
q among these rude children of nature under vari
! Gus forms. Some wept aloud, and wrung theiI
I hands, some threw themselves on the ground,
t and tore up the snow; others, and amongs: them
5 the more aged, stood silent and motionless,
gazing with fixed and fearless eyes in the di-
, rection where their hopes had vanished. Feel
ing our utter inability to offer any alienation to
their misery, we hastened TO quit this scene o.
wo."
r I he inhabitants Of Siberia, in fact, enjoy life
but by fits and starts. The reindeer, it has
, been seen, appear but at certain seasons, and
the ease is the same with fish, During the IN
tense winter cold, these creatures retire into the
deepest part of the rivers and lakes and are there
unapproachable. When their stores of flesh and
fish chance to run short, which often happens be-
fore the fitting time, the distress of the people
becomes altogether fearful. Gone sees them,
like wandering phantoms, pale, without strength.
scarcely able to walk-they throw themselves
greedily on any remains OF bones,' skin, or aught
else which may, III any way, alleviate the pangs
of hunger" The common form in which they
usually first obtain relief is by the arrival of
large flights of birds, swans, geese, ducks, and
snipes, from the south.-Old and young, men and
women, all who use a gun or bow, hasten
to the pursuit, and, for the time, the scarcity
ends. a
Having usually to shift in the fishing season
to the banks of rivers, many of the Siberian
tribes occupy two kinds of habitations, their
winter and their summes ones. The former are
small cottages of boards in the shape of truncat-
ed pyramids, with sunk mud floors, and window
Sits fitted with plates Of ice in winter, and fish
membranes at other times. The summer
dwellings are tents of birch bark, soltened and
sewed together. An open hearth, with a very
rude chimney, keep these huts well furnished
with smoke, which is essential to the expulsion
of mosquitoes. OF the fisheries conducted at
the summer tents, it is necessary to remark,
that the whole Of each little community unites
to erect dam across the river, leaving an open
ening in the middle, in which baskets are placed
for the securing of the migrating fish. After the
construction ofthe dam, the fishing is a task so
easy, that the men hand it over to the women,
and direct their own attention to the chase.