ith him a dog, a certain amount of
provisions, a box of matches from Godfrey's store, and a large skin to
wrap himself in at night. Sometimes, as Godfrey found, the track had to
be followed a long distance before they came up to the animal, which
always travelled in zigzag courses hunting about for white mice and
other prey. Sometimes it was found to have taken to a hole, and then a
trap was set to catch it when it came out. The animals were principally
ermine; but one or two sable, which are considerably larger, with much
more valuable skins, and some martens were taken. All belong to the
weasel family; the upper part of the ermine being brown in summer, but,
like most animals in or near the arctic zone, changing into a pure white
in winter, with the exception of the tail, which remains black as in
summer. The ermine is but little larger than the English ferret, while
the sable and marten are the size of large polecats. When the Ostjaks
came up with them they either knocked them on the head with a club or
shot them through the head. They were then carefully skinned, the
bodies being thrown to the dogs for food.

It had been agreed that the animals caught should be divided; but
Godfrey felt that he was doing but little, for he was unable to shoot
them, as this would have damaged their skins. However, he aided in
tracking them down, and in setting traps when he traced them to a hole;
and once or twice he came up with and killed one with a club.
Occasionally he shot a squirrel--the little animals coming out from
their nests in holes in the trees at the sound of footsteps, their
curiosity costing them dear. After remaining four days at this spot the
tent was pulled down and packed up, and they advanced another two days'
journey into the forest.

CHAPTER XIII.

HUNTING.

At the end of a fortnight one of the Ostjaks started with the large
sledge for the huts, taking with him all the skins that had been
collected. These had mounted up to a considerable number, the Ostjaks
considering their luck to have been extraordinary, and putting it down
in a great degree to their white companion, for whom they began to have
an almost superstitious respect, since the way he had supplied their
village with food for the winter seemed to them almost miraculous. The
reindeer with the light sledge would accomplish the return journey in
two days with ease, although the distance had taken them five days on
their way out. It was to r