e Yenisej to Europe, consisted of about 600 tons--tallow,
wheat, rye and oats. The goods imported into Siberia consisted
mainly of 16 tons nails, 8 tons horseshoes, 4 tons horsenails,
16-1/2 tons bar iron, 33 tons tobacco, 60 tons salt, 24 casks
petroleum, an iron lighter in pieces with the necessary adjuncts of
anchors, &c.[203]

Before I begin to give an account of the voyage of the _Lena_ I must
briefly mention the steps which Mr. Sibiriakoff took for her safety
during her voyage from the mouth of the river, where she was to part
from the _Vega_, to her proper destination, the town of Yakutsk. It
is naturally very difficult for a vessel to seek her way without a
pilot through an extensive delta completely unknown in a
hydrographic respect, and crossed by a large number of deeper or
shallower river arms. Mr. Sibiriakoff had therefore arranged that a
river pilot should meet the _Lena_ at the north point of the delta,
and had through Mr. Kolesoff negotiated with him the following
contract, which I reproduce here in full, because it gives in
several respects a very graphic picture of various social relations
in these remote regions. The copy of the contract which has been
communicated to me when translated runs thus:--

At Yakutsk, in the year one thousand eight hundred and
seventy-eight on the 18th February, I, the undersigned
Yakut AFONASII FEODOROFF WINOKUROFF, have concluded the
following contract with IVAN PLATONOWITSCH KOLESOFF,
merchant of the second guild in the town of Yakutsk.

1. I, Winokuroff bind myself as pilot to carry the vessel
of Professor Nordenskioeld's expedition up the river Lena
from the village Tas-Ary, which lies about 150 versts
below the village Bulun. From Tumat Island, which is
situated in the northeastern part of the Lena delta, I
bind myself for the piloting of the same vessel to procure
at my own cost among the inhabitants of the place a pilot
who knows well the deepest channel of the Lena river as
far as the village Tas-Ary. This pilot the chief of the
expedition shall discharge at the village Tas-Ary.

2. As I am not master of the Russian language I bind
myself to bring along with me a Yakut interpreter, who
knows the Russian language and is able to write. In May of
this year, I, Winokuroff, with the interpreter shall
travel from the town of Yakutsk down the Lena river to
Tumat Island and there a