ting, shifting their camp occasionally until it
was time to rejoin the Ostjaks, and then travelled east. They struck the
river some thirty miles below the camp, crossed at once and travelled up
the other side until they arrived at the huts. They were heartily
welcomed by the natives, and remained there for three days to rest the
dogs. They were very glad of getting a supply of fish again. These the
Ostjaks had in abundance, as they kept their frozen piles for food when
the keenness of the wind rendered the cold so bitter that they were
forced to remain in their huts. At other times they fished by
torch-light at holes that they kept broken in the ice, spearing the
fish, which were attracted by the light. The Ostjaks were surprised at
the large number of skins, some of them of the most valuable kind, that
Godfrey had brought back, and were impatient for a fresh start. They
were this time absent for only six weeks, returning at the beginning of
May. The hunt was marked by no adventure. They did fairly well, but were
not fortunate in securing any skins of the black fox and but few of the
sable.

Upon their return the furs that had been taken during the two hunts with
the Ostjaks were fairly divided, and Godfrey added his and Luka's
shares to those they had themselves obtained. There were over fifty in
all, including three black foxes, six sables, and ten martens, the rest
being of inferior value. Then a list was made of the necessaries that
Luka was to purchase at Turukhansk. These included ten pounds of brick
tea, some copper nails if he could obtain them, a store of ammunition,
some more fish-hooks, the largest kettle he could buy, a frying-pan, a
few pounds of sugar, ten pounds of salt, some stout sheeting, thirty
yards of duck canvas, three blocks, a coil or two of rope, needles and
twine, a saw, a couple of chisels, and some other tools.

"You must make the best bargain you can for the skins, Luka; I have no
idea how much they are worth."

The Ostjaks were, however, able to tell them the prices the traders pay
for the skins of each animal, provided that they were fine specimens and
in good condition. The black foxes were worth from fifty to a hundred
roubles, the sables from thirty to fifty, the martens some ten roubles
less; the other skins were worth from fifteen to thirty roubles.

Luka took the sledge and a reindeer and started alone, having gone over
the list of things required again and again until Godfrey was