wretched than their fituation muit be d uring the w in te r
months. T h e y were at this time removing from their jourts
into their balagans, w h ich afforded us an opportunity o f examinin
g both thefe forts o f h abitations; and they w ill be
hereafter more particularly defcribed. T h e people invited
us into their houies with great good h um o u r ; a general-
air o f cheerfulnefs and content was every where viiible, to
w hich the approaching change o f feafon migh t probably not
a little contribute.
On our return to the Toion's, w e found fupper prepared
for us, w h ich differed in nothing from- our former repaft ;
and concluded with our treating the Toion and his w ife with
fome o f the fpirits, w e had brought with us, made into
punch. Captain Gore, w ho had great generofity on all oc-
caiions, h a vin g afterward made them fome valuable pre-
fents, they retired to the kitchen , lea v in g us in poffeffion o f
the outward room, where, fpreading our bear-ikins on the-
benches, we were glad to get a little repofe* ha vin g fettled
w ith our condudlors to refume our journey, as. fppn as the
ground fhould be judg ed fit fo r travelling.
About nine o’clock, the fame evening, w e were aw a k en ed
b y the melancholy howlings o f the dogs, w hich continued all
the time our b a gga ge was la ih in g upon the fledges ; but, as
foon a s fh e y were yoked, and. we were all prepared to fet out,,
this changed into a- ligh t che erful yelpin g, w hich intirely
eeafed the inftant they marched off. But, before we fet out,
the Reader may e xp ed to be made more particularly acquainted
with this curious mode o f travelling.
T h e figure o f the fledges w ill be beft conceived by the
annexed engraving, w h ich was taken from one I brought
over with me, that is now in the poffeffion o f Sir Aihton
Lever. T he body is about four feet and a h a lf long, and a
foot wide, made in the form o f a crefcent, o f ligh t tough
2 _ wood,
wood, ftrong ly bound together with w ic k e r -w o rk ; w h ich 'Twin
thofe b e lon gin g to the better fort o f people is e le g an tly ' „—
ftained o f a red and blue colour, and the feat covered with bear-
Ikins, or other furs. It is fupported by four legs, about two
feet high , w hich reft on two long flat pieces o f wood, five or
fix inches broad, extending a foot at each end beyond the
body o f the fledge. Thefe are turned up before in the manner
o f a Ikate, and ihod with the bone o f fome fearanimal.
T h e fore-part o f the carriage is ornamented with thongs o f
leather and t^ffels o f coloured cloth ; and from the crofs
bar, to w hich the harnefs is joined, are h u n g links o f iron,
or fmall bells, the jin g lin g o f w hich they conceive to be encourag
ing to the dogs. T h e y are feldom ufed to carry more
than one perfon at a time, who fits afide, refting his feet on
the lower part o f the fledge, and carrying his provifions and
Other neceffaries, wrapped up in a bundle, behind him. T h e
dogs are u fu a lly five in number, yoked two and two, w ith
a leader. The reins not being fattened to the head o f the
dogs, but to the collar, have little power over them, and are
therefore gen erally h u n g upon the fledge, whilft the driver
depends entirely on their obedience to his voice fo r the
direftion o f them. With this view, the leader is always
trained up with a particular degree o f care and attention ;
fome o f them riling to a moll extraordinary value on account
o f their docility and fteadinefs ; infomuch, that for one of.
thefe, I am w e ll affured, forty roubles (or ten pounds) was no
un u fu a l price. T he driver is alfo provided with a crooked
flick , which anfwers the purpofe both o f w h ip and reins ;
as b y ftriking it into the fnow, he is enabled to moderate the '
fpeed o f the dogs, or even to flop them entirely ; and when
they are la zy , or otherwife inattentive to his voice, he chaf-
rjfes them by throwing it at them. Upon thefe occafions,
their dexterity in p ickin g it up again is very remarkable,
D d 2 and