Babouschka originated in the following manner. As a natural effect of
their prejudice, they feel disposed to acts of gratitude the moment
they find themselves out of danger. The Koriacs who attended me were
eager to hang up their offering, which consisted of small quantities
of tobacco, scraps of fish, pieces of iron, &c. upon the summit where
they suppose the sorceress to sleep. Others had left there before them
old cramps of iron, knives, arrows, and broken arms. I perceived a
Tchouktchi javelin ornamented with ivory, and I advanced to seize it
with a view of keeping it, but the cry of my conductors stopped me.
“What would you do?” said one of them. “Are you desirous of ruining us?
Such a sacrilege would draw down upon us the most dreadful calamities,
and you would be unable to pursue your journey.” At this apostrophe I
could have laughed in the face of the timid prophet, if I had not stood
in need of the succour of these people. To continue to merit it, it was
necessary to respect their error, and I assumed therefore a becoming
gravity; but no sooner had they turned their backs, than I laid hold of
this terrible arrow, as a monument of their absurd credulity.
The first village I came to was Srednoi There is something picturesque
in its situation, which is upon the border of the sea, at the entrance
of a deep bay that loses itself in the land, by forming the channel
of a small river, the water of which is always free from any brackish
taste. The Koriacs, who inhabit it, received me with cordiality. I
rested myself for a few hours in one of the two yourts, which, with
a number of magazines, constitute the whole ostrog. The yourts are
constructed like those of the fixed Koriacs, with this difference, that
they are not subterraneous, and that the entrance is by a door upon
a level with the ground. Muscles abound on these coasts, and are the
principal food of the inhabitants.
I came away in the evening with fresh dogs, and travelled eight wersts
upon the river Srednoi. The ice, in various places, broke under our
sledges, but the hardiness and skill of my guides extricated us from
the difficulty. Obliged to go on shore to free the vehicles, they
had the precaution to put on their rackets, that they might have a
more extensive footing on the ice. But the greatest inconvenience in
travelling on this river was occasioned by the slipperiness of the ice;
our dogs were unable to support themselves, and fell down every moment
one upon another.
Before noon of the 26, we reached the ostrog of Siglann, the last in
the Koriac territories, which is upon a river of the same name. It is
seventy seven wersts from the preceding, and is neither larger nor more
populous. It contains only one yourt, built like those of the Yakoutes,
the description of which I shall defer till my arrival with these
people. I stayed at Siglann to arrange the skates of our sledges, that
is, to fasten plates of whale-bone under them, which the melting of the
snow rendered necessary, and I departed at five o’clock in the evening.
I first crossed a bay, called by the name of the village. It was
large, and appeared to be well defended, except at the south and south
east. The whole coast is of considerable height, and the bay extends so
far, that I was eight hours in gaining the western cape. Farther on I
found another curvature not less considerable, called the _Bay of Ola_.
In spite of the velocity of our pace, we were ten hours in passing over
the widest part of it.
The 27, about three o’clock in the afternoon I stopt at Ola, a
Toungouse ostrog, a hundred and fourteen wersts from Siglann. It is
situated upon a sandy flat at the mouth of the river Ola, which,
widening at this place, affords a small harbour, to the extremity of
which the Toungouses retire in the severe weather. They had quitted it
two days before, and had taken possession of the ten yourts that make
up the village, and in which they reside as long as the warm weather
lasts.
These yourts are not formed underground, like those of the
Kamtschadales and the majority of the fixed Koriacs; they are also
longer and of a superior construction. The walls are supported by thick
posts, and there is a narrow opening at the top of the roof, that
extends from one end to the other; the fire place is in like manner of
the same length as the house. Eight feet above the fire, which is kept
in during the whole summer, they hang upon cross beams their stock of
fish and sea wolves, in order to dry and smoke them, and this indeed
is the chief advantage of these buildings. By means of two doors in
opposite sides of the yourt, they are able to introduce whole trees and
enormous pieces of wood, with which the fire is supplied. Each family
have their bed in little distinct huts in the sides of the building.
The yourt I entered was divided into apartments, the walls of which
consisted merely of prepared fish skins, sewn together, and stained
with different colours. This singular tapestry has by no means a
disagreeable appearance.
The winter yourts are round, and built upon the ground like the summer
ones. The walls are constructed of large beams, placed perpendicularly,
and the covering is inclined like the roofs among us, with a hole in
the top for the evaporation of the smoke. They have a door, the bottom
of which is upon a level with the foundation. Some of them have within
a kind of corridor, which breaks the column of air, so that the smoke
issues more freely.
The instant of my arrival at Ola, I was visited by a number of
women, some dressed in the Russian, and others in the Toungouse
mode. Expressing my surprise at seeing them so fine, I was informed
that it was the village feast; it was also, I understood, a part of
their coquetry to appear in their best attire before strangers. Of
their most esteemed ornaments, embroideries of glass beads seem to
have the preference. Some of them are wrought with tolerable taste;
among others, I observed one on the boot of a young girl that had an
admirable air of lightness; it concealed in no respect the beauty of
the leg, that was covered with a kind of pantaloon of skin, nicely
fitted, over which hung a small petticoat.
There is a striking resemblance between the Russians and Toungouses;
they have similar features and the same language. The men are strong
and well made; some of the women have an Asiatic appearance, but not
the flat nose and broad face of the Kamtschadales and the majority
of the Koriacs. Mildness and hospitality seem to be characteristic
qualities of these people. It was not from a defect of zeal, on their
part, that I did not procure the succour I wanted; but their ability
was so small, that they could only change a part of my dogs.
Upon leaving this village we proceeded on the sea. The ice embarassed
us considerably in the course of the night, and the frequent cracks
which we heard under us, were not calculated to dispel our fears.
At break of day we reached the main land, in order to surmount a steep
promontory. Our way was so complicated, that we had allowed ourselves
seven hours to gain the sea again, but the descent was more difficult
than had been represented, and it was necessary to make ourselves a
passage through a wood of birch trees. One of my guides, suffering
himself to descend like the rest, by the mere force of the slope, from
the top of the mountain to the bottom, was overturned by the shock of
a sledge, which struck against him just as he was turning an angle. He
endeavoured to lay hold of the trunk of a tree, and unfortunately fell
upon the pointed end of his stick, which entered his side; he had also
received a violent blow in the head, and we were obliged to place him
on one of our baggage sledges.
At the foot of the mountain we had another perplexity, occasioned by
the sea being broken up. How great had been our risk during the night!
My conductors were terrified at it equally with myself. “What will
become of us,” cried they? “It is now that we have the most alarming
dangers to encounter.” Dissembling my uneasiness, I attempted to
encourage them. We continued our course for some time along the shore;
a melancholy silence prevailed among my people, whose countenances were
expressive of consternation.
In about half an hour the person at the head of the file suddenly
stopped, exclaiming that it was not possible to proceed any farther. I
conceived at first that his terror magnified the difficulties, and I
sent my soldier Golikoff with one of the most experienced of my guides
to examine our situation. They quickly came back, and confirmed the
ill tidings. Golikoff advised that we should return, and endeavour to
find a way by land, but my guides rejected his counsel, declaring that
it was nearly impossible to ascend, on this side, the mountain we had
just passed, and that even if we succeeded, the route would be too
considerable, and also too dangerous on account of the rapidity of the
thaw, and their little acquaintance with the country. They concluded
by proposing to us to abandon our sledges, to select the most valuable
part of my property, and to cross the bay by leaping from one sheet of
ice to another. But the current began to put them in motion, and the
sea was covered with isolated pieces; it may be supposed therefore that
I felt no great inclination to adopt this mode of travelling, to which
however the people of the country are frequently reduced. I knew not
what plan to follow; at length I resolved to try myself if I could not
find some practicable path along the shore.
A chain of rocks, which, through its whole extent, presents to the
sea a flat perpendicular surface, and consequently without the least
appearance of strand, was the description of the shore I visited. The
sea, in carrying off the mountains of ice which had concealed its
surface, had left a horizontal crust suspended to the side of this
enormous wall, which was not more than two feet wide, frequently not
more than one, and scarcely one foot in thickness. Eight feet below
this sort of cornice, you saw the waves beating against the rock, and
innumerable shelves that the eye discovered in the sea, and that seemed
about ten feet below its surface.
I did not suffer these observations to discourage me, but immediately
committed myself to this perilous cornice. Emboldened by its solidity,
I advanced softly in a sidelong direction, my face turned towards the
rock. It offered no hold to the hands, but only now and then a narrow
cavity, into which I threw myself to recover breath; after having
passed the gaps of the crust, which continually presented themselves to
my steps, the ice being in certain places completely washed away, and
a breach left of two or three feet in length. At first I must confess
I felt myself intimidated, and did not leap them without trembling:
the least error in position, the most trifling accident would have
destroyed me. My companions could not have relieved, nor even so much
as have seen me. This progress continued for three quarters of an hour,
at the end of which I reached the other extremity of the rock, and no
sooner had I arrived than I forgot the dangers of the way to think
only of my dispatches. I had left them under the care of my soldiers,
but I alone could undertake to save them. The experiment I had made
encouraged me, and proud of my discovery, I did not hesitate to return
upon my steps.
My people condemned my conduct, which they considered as rashness, and
expressed their astonishment at seeing me again. I concealed not from
them that the way was hazardous; “but as no accident had happened to
me, why, I asked, should you be deterred from following me? I will once
more make the attempt, and I hope upon my return to find you free from
apprehension, and disposed to imitate my example.”
I immediately took up my port-folio, and the box that contained my
dispatches. My two soldiers Golikoff, and Nedarezoff, whose dexterity
I had already experienced, consented to accompany me. Without their
assistance it would, I believe, have been impossible to save this
precious deposit; we carried it in turn, exchanging it from one to
another. He that had last received it, for instance, who always marched
foremost upon this narrow parapet, threw it suddenly into a hollow
place of the rock, advancing at the same time a few steps; the others
came after him, took up his burthen, and relieved themselves from it by
the same manœuvre. I cannot express what I felt during this operation;
at every stride of the bearer over the gaps of the path, I imagined I
saw my box ready to fall into the sea. Twenty times it was upon the
point of escaping from our hands, and I felt my very blood curdle as
if I had seen death itself gaping under my steps. Indeed I am not able
to say what would have been the effect of my despair, if I had had the
misfortune to lose it. I knew not a moment’s ease till I had deposited
this solemn charge in a place of safety; my joy was then as vehement as
had been my anxiety.
This second success inspired me with so much confidence, that I no
longer doubted of the possibility of transporting our sledges in the
same manner. I communicated my ideas to my soldiers: animated by my
example, and by the event of their first experiment, they cheerfully
returned with me for this new undertaking. By my order they had
unharnessed a part of the dogs; they now fastened to the four corners
of the sledges long thongs of leather which I directed to be held by
those who were before and behind the vehicle. We presently found the
utility of this precaution; our sledges were sometimes wider than the
parapet, and of consequence only rested on one skate, so that the load
must have overturned them into the water if they had not been strongly
supported; at other times the ice, as I have said, was entirely
gone, when it was necessary to give them a sudden elevation in order
to preserve their equilibrium. The muscular arms of my guides were
scarcely equal to the weight, and it was sometimes as much as all of us
could do to keep one another from falling. It was to no purpose, for
us to grapple the rock; it was perpetually to be feared that one of us
should draw in the other, or that the ice should suddenly fail under
our feet. We however suffered nothing but the apprehension.
We returned once more to fetch the rest of our dogs. It seemed as
if these poor animals judged better than ourselves of the extent of
the danger, so much did they bark and draw back, particularly at the
difficult passages. It was to no purpose to cheer them with our voice,
it was necessary to strike them, or to pull them rapidly after us.
There were four of them, who from aukwardness or terror, could not leap
like the rest. The first perished in our sight without the possibility
of our assisting him[48], the second remained suspended by his fore
feet; one of my guides, supported by his comrade and leaning forward,
was fortunate enough to save him; the other two were supported by their
traces, and were easily extricated from the peril.
These various crossings backward and forward occasioned us seven hours
incessant labour and apprehension. We were no sooner out of danger than
we returned thanks to heaven like so many persons escaped from death.
We embraced one another with transport, as if each had owed to his
companion the preservation of his life. In short, our happiness was
better felt than it is in my power to describe.
We made all possible haste to remedy the disorder of our equipage, and
immediately proceeded on a flinty strand, the breadth and solidity
of which relieved us from all disquietude. In about two hours, at a
little distance from the ostrog of Armani, we met a number of sledges
returning empty to Ola, and which of course could have no other way
than that which we had just passed. We informed the conductors of the
difficulty, and wished them equal success.
The village of Armani is eighty wersts from Ola. It consists merely
of two yourts, a summer and a winter one, situated by a river of the
same name. We passed on to the house of a Yakout, three hundred paces
farther, where, it was said, I should find a better lodging. It was
a yourt in the middle of a large wood of fir trees, and had been
inhabited by him thirty years.
In his absence his wife received me with the utmost cordiality. She
offered us milk, and a sourish beverage made chiefly of mare’s milk,
called _koumouiss_. Its taste was by no means disagreeable; and my
Russians, in spite of their superstitious aversion for every kind of
food that comes from the horse, highly relished it. The husband arrived
while this was passing, who was a venerable old man, but as yet full of
health and vigour. Informed of the object of my journey by his wife,
and my soldier Golikoff, who, being a native of Yakoutsk, served as
interpreter, my host instantly cleaned the most distinguished place
in the room that I might repose myself. I was awaked by the lowings
of the herd which came into the yourt. Eight cows, a bull, and a
number of calves, divided the apartment with me. Notwithstanding this
company, there was an appearance of cleanliness, and the air was sweet
and wholesome. This Yakout does not pass his time like the Koriacs
and Kamtschadales, in catching and preparing fish, a species of food
upon which he sets little value; hunting, and the care of his cattle,
occupy his whole attention, and supply all his wants. Besides his herd,
he has also ten horses, which he uses for various purposes, and which
are kept in an inclosure at a little distance from the yourt. Every
thing about this habitation has an air of ease, and creates in the
spectator tranquil and cheerful feelings. I know not whether the sight
of the herd, the appearance of plenty, or the excellence of the milk
provisions communicated some charm to our repast, but I conceived it to
be the most sumptuous I had made for a considerable time. The master of
the house had the kindness before my departure to add some game to my
stock of provisions.
We separated the same evening mutually satisfied with each other. I
travelled the whole night, and arrived in the morning at the fort of
Taousk, being a distance of forty-two wersts. This ostrog, where, in
conformity to the plan we had laid down, we spent the day, is situated
on the river Taon. It contains twenty isbas, a small church served by
the vicar of Okotsk, and a building for the reception of tributes,
surrounded by palisades in the form of bastions. Twenty Yakouts, two
chiefs, and some other Koriacs, who, attracted by the situation, have
settled there, make up the whole of the inhabitants. The garrison
consists of fifteen soldiers, commanded by a serjeant named Okhotin, at
whose house I took up my abode till the evening.
In the night I passed through the village of Gorbé, peopled by
Yakouts, and a small number of Koriacs. At break of day we lost sight
of the sea. We had for some time journeyed upon the banks of the Taon,
and gradually we advanced farther into the land. During 1 and 2 May, we
travelled through fields, and upon the river Kava, without perceiving a
single habitation.
The 3, at the very instant when we were about to halt in the middle
of a wood of fir trees, a gale of wind rose, accompanied with a heavy
snow. My tent, suspended over the sledges containing our baggage,
served us for a shelter. But it was necessary to have a fire. My
conductors, who undertook to procure wood, were buried as high as their
waists in snow, and even with their rackets they sunk up to their
knees. In the afternoon the wind changed, and the sky became clear. We
immediately mounted our sledges, but the depth of the snow obliged us
to alight in turns to open a passage for the dogs.
In the morning of 4 May, we passed over the mountain of Iné, two
hundred and twenty wersts from Taousk. It may be compared in height to
that of Babouschka. When at the summit, the cold pierced us to such a
degree that we stopped to kindle a fire. In about five hours we came
again to the sea, which we left at a short distance from the village of
Iné, where we arrived in the dusk of the evening.
This ostrog is thirty wersts from the mountain, and is peopled by
Russians and Yakouts, whose habitations are isbas and yourts. They have
the care of a stud of two hundred horses, which we had an opportunity
of seeing, ten wersts from the village. I intended to have changed
my team, and sat off again immediately, but I was detained by the
difficulty of procuring dogs. The chief of the place was dead drunk,
and it was not till after an hour’s importunity and search that we were
able to procure an adequate supply.
Twenty-five wersts from Iné, where, that I might make the greater
speed, I had left my equipage under the care of my faithful Golikoff,
with orders to follow me as quickly as possible, I passed two yourts
inhabited by Yakouts and Toungouses. The name of this hamlet is
Oulbé. Farther on I met a number of convoys with flour, which was to
be distributed in the neighbouring villages, and made into biscuits
to supply the ships of M. Billings, of whom I shall presently have
occasion to speak.
We came again upon the coast, and I travelled forty-seven wersts
without quitting it, during which time I saw a number of sea wolves,
and a whale driven upon the shore. At the top of the mountain called
Marikann, that is at the distance of twenty-five wersts, I had the
pleasure to discover the town of Okotsk, but I was attacked by a gale
of wind that made me apprehensive of a new delay. Regardless of every
thing but my impatience, I continued my route, resolving to brave
all accidents. My courage however was not put to the test; before we
reached the shore the weather was calm, and I was able to satisfy
my curiosity by examining the wreck of a vessel that was driven on
the coast. Having crossed, with trepidation, the river Okhota[49], I
entered Okotsk 5 May, at four o’clock in the afternoon, accompanied
only by Nedarezoff.
I alighted at the house of major Kokh, vested with the command in the
absence of M. Kasloff, whose arrival with me he had long expected. The
governor’s letter informed him of the cause of our separation, and I
gave him a brief account of the melancholy circumstances attending it.
I hastened to pay my compliments to Madame Kasloff, and deliver the
packets entrusted to my care, but she was in the country four wersts
from Okotsk, and I was so fatigued that M. Kokh would not permit me to
wait upon her that day. An express was sent off with the letters, and
my apologies, and I fixed on the next day for my visit. Presuming that
I principally stood in need of repose, the major obligingly conducted
me to the apartment destined for me in the house of M. Kasloff. I found
every convenience of which I had been deprived ever since my departure
from Ingiga. In the space of three hundred and fifty leagues I had not,
except once at Yamsk, slept in a bed.
As soon as I rose in the morning I was visited by M. Kokh, and the
principal officers and merchants of the town. M. Allegretti, surgeon
to the expedition of M. Billings, was among them. From the facility
with which he spoke the French language, I should have taken him for a
countryman, if he had not, upon introducing himself, informed that he
was an Italian. My meeting with him was the more fortunate, as the pain
in my breast had returned. I hesitated not to consult him, and am happy
in having an opportunity to declare, that to his skill, and the care he
bestowed upon me during my stay, I am indebted for the perfect cure of
my complaint.
M. Kokh conducted me to his house to dinner, where I had an
opportunity of becoming better acquainted with him[50]. His kindness
extended so far as to form a thousand plans of amusement, which he was
eager to communicate with the hope of inducing me to make some stay
with him.
If my duty had not prohibited every voluntary delay, I could
not easily have resisted the urgency of his invitations, and the
fascinating pleasure of his society; but faithful to my trust, it was
necessary to sacrifice my inclinations and my repose to the rapidity of
my journey. I convinced my host of this, and yielding to my reasons, he
became satisfied with my eagerness to quit him, and even seconded my
zeal by assiduously providing the means for my departure.