at was hauled ashore and carefully examined. Three or four of the
skins were found to be old and rotten; the rest had evidently been
renewed from time to time.

"We will take this if you will put in four good skins," Luka said to the
owner.

"It will be six roubles if we put in fresh skins," the Ostjak said. "We
will put in good skins and grease all the boat, and then it will be the
same as new. The other skins were all new last year."

"No," Luka said. "You said you would build a whole boat larger than this
for six roubles."

The men talked together. "We will do it for five roubles," they said at
last, and Luka at once agreed to the terms.

There was no time lost. The Ostjaks ordered the women to set about it at
once, and leaving the matter in their hands went off to their fishing.
Godfrey asked them to take him with them, leaving Luka to see to the
repairs of the boat. The fishing implements were of the roughest kind.
The hooks were formed of fish bones, bound together by fine gut; the
lines were twisted strips of skin, strong gut attaching the hook to
these lines; the bait was small pieces of fat, varied by strips of fish
with the skin on them. Clumsy as the appliances were, jack, tench, and
other fish were caught in considerable numbers, and among them two or
three good-sized salmon. The nets were of coarse mesh, made of hemp,
which grows wild in many parts of Siberia. They were some ten feet in
depth and some twenty yards long. The upper ends were supported by
floats made of bladders, and the whole anchored across the stream by
ropes at the extremities, fastened to heavy stones. In these nets a
considerable quantity of fish were taken. The fishing was over early,
for there had been a good supply taken on the previous day, and as at
this time of year they would not keep, it was useless obtaining more.

When they reached shore the common sorts of fish were thrown to the
dogs; a dozen of the best picked out, and with these two of the men
started at once for the nearest village, where they would be sold for a
few kopecks; the rest were handed over to the women, while the men
proceeded to throw themselves down by the fire and smoke. Godfrey went
to see how the women were getting on with the boat. They had already
made a great deal of progress. The skins, which had been chosen by Luka
from a pile in the hut, were already prepared by having fat rubbed into
them. The hair was left on them, as that would come inside.