border of the river Amga, two hundred wersts from the harbour of the
mouth of the Maya. Its depth took from us all desire of crossing it by
fording, and the boats in the mean time were all on the opposite side.
We called for assistance, but it was to no purpose. Out of patience at
seeing no person appear, one of my Yakouts stripped himself, and swam
over to fetch us a boat. The crossing of our whole caravan was not
completed in less than an hour. We immediately mounted our horses, in
order to reach the habitation of a Yakout prince, named Girkoff. In
our way I saw a number of yourts, but they were all at least a werst
from one another. At a little distance from that of the _knesetsk_,
or prince, Golikoff went on before, to endeavour to procure us a good
reception.
The prince really showed me great civility; he not only offered me
his yourt, and treated me with milk and excellent butter, but promised
that his best horses[77] should the next day be at my service. Being
informed that I stood in need of repose, he pointed out the hut he had
destined for me, and while it was preparing, he had the politeness to
show me the conveniences of his yourt, which was one of the best I had
yet seen.
The size of these houses varies according to the wealth of the
proprietor, and the number of his family. Beams, placed by the side
of one another, and plastered with clay, form the walls, which are
not like ours, perpendicular. Inclining towards the top, they support
a roof, the slope of which is very inconsiderable: in some yourts
the roof is supported by posts. The house has but one door, and is
divided, as I have already observed, into two apartments. The cleanest
is inhabited by the family, who sleep in distinct huts, distributed at
equal distances against the walls, and which I can compare to nothing
better than the small cabins in Dutch ships: every couple have a hut
to themselves. The other part of the yourt is for the cattle, and is
nothing more than a stable. In the center of the building is a round
chimney made of wood, and guarded from accidents by a thick clay
covering. When they light a fire, the wood is placed perpendicularly.
Cross beams are occasionally placed in the chimney, upon which they
hang their kettles, and these are repeated, in proportion to the number
of vessels they have to boil.
In one corner of the yourt a leathern trough is fixed, and mare’s
milk every day put into it, and stirred with a stick, similar to what
is made use of in churning butter. Every person who enters, the women
particularly, before they attend to any other business, stir the milk a
few minutes; it is by this means they procure that sourish, but at the
same time pleasant beverage, called _koumouiss_. If allowed to ferment,
it becomes a very potent liquor.
My host spoke the Russian language tolerably well[78]; I embraced
the opportunity of drawing from him some information respecting the
customs, manners, and religion of his countrymen, which I shall insert
in this place, together with some notes that I had before made on these
subjects.
When summer commences, they leave their winter habitations, and
with their families, and a small number of horses, go to make their
harvests of fodder for consumption during the frost season. They repair
to a considerable distance from their yourt, and to the most fertile
cantons. In their absence, the horses are left to the care of the
servants, and the neighbouring pastures serve for the maintenance of
all their herds.
I very much regret the not having been present at their festival in the
month of May, in celebration of the return of spring. They assemble in
the open country, where they roast oxen and horses; and being supplied
with an abundance of fermented koumouiss, they eat and drink to
satiety, dancing and singing at intervals, and concluding at last with
necromancies. Their chamans preside in these festivals, and deal out
their extravagant predictions.
These sorcerers are more at liberty and more revered than in
Kamtschatka. Regarded as interpreters of the gods, they grant their
mediation to the stupid Yakout, who implores it with trembling, but
always pays for it. I have seen these dupes give their finest horse to
conduct a chaman to his village. Nothing can be more frightful than
the magic exhibitions of these impostors. As I knew nothing of them
but from report, I was desirous of being present. I was astonished at
the veracity of the account that had been given me: as I have already
accurately related it[79], I shall content myself with describing the
chaman that exhibited before me.
Dressed in a habit that was ornamented with bells and plates of iron,
which made a deafening noise, he beat besides on a _bouben_, or tabor,
with a degree of force that was terrifying. He then ran about like a
maniac, with his mouth open, and his head turned in every direction.
His black deshevelled hair[80] concealed his face, and beneath it
proceeded at one moment real groans, the next tears and sobs, and then
loud peals of laughter, the usual preludes of these revelations.
In the idolatry of the Yakouts, we find all the absurdities and
superstitious practices of the ancient Kamtschadales, Koriacs,
Tchouktchis, and other inhabitants of these countries. They have
however some more solid principles; and amidst the ridiculous
fictions under which they are buried, we meet with ideas ingenious
enough respecting the supreme being, miracles, and future rewards and
punishments.
But I was chiefly struck with the vivacity and singularity of their
turn of mind. They delight in the fables drawn from their absurd
mythology, and they relate them with all the confidence of credulity
itself. By comparing them with our own, one is tempted no longer to
hold in such esteem our ancient and modern fabulists, when we see this
species of composition cultivated by such rivals. The two following
fables were translated for me by Golikoff, word for word.
There arose one day in a large lake, a violent contest
between the different species of fish. The question was the
establishment of a tribunal of supreme judges, whose business
it should be to govern the whole finny tribe. The herring, and
most diminutive fish, conceived that they had as much right
to the prerogative as the salmon. From one thing to another
the dispute became so warm that the small fish united in a
body against the large, who took advantage of their weakness
to insult and persecute them. Hence intestine and bloody wars
that end in the destruction of one of the two parties. The
vanquished, who escaped from being killed, fled to the small
canals, and left the large fish, who had the victory, masters
of the lake. Such is the law of the strongest.
The other fable bears a greater resemblance to our old women’s tales,
with which children are terrified, and the tediousness of a rustic
evening beguiled. I should be apt to suspect that it was the production
of a chaman.
A Yakout had failed in respect, or done some injury to his
chaman. The devil, to avenge the latter, transformed himself
into a cow; and, having mixed in the herd, contrived, while it
was feeding by the side of a wood, to steal the finest heifers.
In the evening when the herdsman returned, his enraged master
ascribed all the loss to his negligence, and drove him from
his house. Immediately the devil appeared in the dress of a
herdsman, an agreement was made, and the next day he drove the
cows to field. One, two days passed, and the Yakout saw nothing
of his herd. In his distress he went with his wife, searched
every where for his cows, and at last found them--but in what
disorder! Upon his approach they began to skip and dance to the
sound of the flute[81] of the perfidious herdsman. The master
stormed and raved. “Hold there,” said the devil to him. “It
well becomes thee indeed, who hast abused the confidence of
the most respectable of chamans, to accuse me of stealing thy
herd. May this serve thee as a lesson, and teach thee to give
to every man that which belongs to him.” Upon this the herd
and the herdsman disappeared, and the poor Yakout lost all his
property.
The place where this scene passed, has since that time been considered
as the abode of infernal spirits. The incredulous scruple not to
assert that the devil who stole the cows, was no other than the chaman
himself; but such is the simplicity of the honest Yakouts, that they
feel a repugnance at this suspicion, and treat it as horrible blasphemy.
Remains of old tombs of the Yakouts were frequently pointed out to me
in the woods. They were coffins clumsily made, and suspended on the
branches of trees. I know not from what motive they have renounced this
custom of exposing their dead in the open air, and at a distance from
their habitations; but at present their mode of interment is similar to
that of Christians.
The funerals are attended with a kind of pomp more or less
magnificent, in proportion to the rank and wealth of the defunct. If
a prince, he is arrayed in his finest habits, and most splendid arms.
The body, placed in a coffin, is carried by the family to the tomb;
deep groans announce the solemn procession. His favourite horse, and
another the best of his stud, both richly caparisoned, and led by a
valet, or near relation, walk by the side of the corpse. When arrived
at the burying place, they are tied to two stakes[82] fixed near the
grave, and while the master is interred, their throats are cut over
the corpse. This bloody libation is the homage paid to his attachment
to these animals, who are supposed to follow him into the other world,
where it is imagined that he will again be able to enjoy them. They
are then flayed; the head and hide, in one entire piece, are fixed
horizontally upon the branches of trees at a small distance from
the grave; and such is the memorial that is erected. A fire is then
kindled, and the last proof of friendship for the deceased consists in
roasting and eating upon the spot these favoured animals. The feast
being concluded the company disperses. The same ceremonial is observed
for a woman, except that instead of a horse, they sacrifice her
favourite cow.
The Yakouts are robust, and in general large. They resemble the Tartars
in the cast of their features, and there is said also to be a great
similarity in the idioms of these two people; I can only affirm that
the Yakouts are very abrupt in their manner of speaking, and do not
connect their words.
Their dress is simple, and nearly the same all the year round, the
only difference is, that in winter it is made of skins. Over their
chemise they commonly wear a large striped waistcoat with sleeves.
Their breeches do not extend below the middle of the thigh, but their
long boots, called _sarri_, reach above the knee. In hot weather they
wear nothing but the breeches.
They pretend to ride better than any other nation in the world, and
their vanity in this respect is carried so far, that they avoid, from
a sentiment of disdain, giving to travellers their most mettlesome
steeds[83].
Polygamy forms a part of the political code of these people. Obliged
to make frequent journies, a Yakout has a wife in every place where
he stops, but he never assembles them together. Notwithstanding this
licence, they are jealous to excess, and the sworn enemies of whoever
shall dare to violate the rights of hospitality.
Thanks to the cares of prince Girkoff, I found when I awoke nine
excellent horses ready saddled[84]. He wished me to ride his favourite
horse, because it ambled with perfect ease. Overwhelmed with his
civilities, I left him the 27 at an early hour, with the consoling hope
of more frequently meeting with habitations, where I might sometimes
rest myself, and get a fresh supply of steeds.
A few paces from the preceding habitation, which is called
_Amguinskoi-stanovie_, or Amgui halt, I saw in the road wooden
images of a bird about the size of a duck, or a cormorant; they are
emblematical representations of a malicious divinity, the terror of the
whole canton. The most absurd stories are told upon this subject; it
is said, for example, that this diabolical spirit has frequently led
travellers out of their road, and devoured their horses.
I alighted in the evening at the house of another Yakout prince[85],
who had just settled himself in his summer habitation, which seemed
to be equally neat and pleasant. I shall here insert a description
of their _ourassis_, for such is the name by which these picturesque
dwellings are called.
Like the yourts of the wandering Koriacs, they are circular, spacious,
and constructed with poles, fewer in number, but ranged in the same
manner, and kept asunder by a sort of hoops at the top; the whole
covered in with the bark of the birch tree[86], formed into pieces
eighteen inches wide, placed in a downward direction. These pieces are
edged with a kind of ribband equally made of this bark, and shaped
into festoons, and the inside of the yourt is ornamented in the same
manner. The taste of these ornaments is governed by the caprice of
the proprietor, and there is in them a sort of wildness that is
sufficiently amusing. The same decoration is annexed to the chairs and
beds of the heads of families. The domestics lie upon the ground on
mats or skins, and the fire is lighted in the middle of the house.
The 28, I came to the river Sola, and rode for a considerable time
along its banks. The heat incommoded me as much as the flies, and I was
so thirsty that I stopped at every yourt to drink koumouiss.
The next morning I reached a place called _Yarmangui_, which is
two hundred wersts from Amgui, and on the border of the Lena. By
crossing this river I should be at Yakoutsk; but by a regulation
of the governor, every traveller was obliged to wait here till he
had permission to enter the town. Disagreeable as was this kind of
quarantine, I had reconciled myself to it, when a subaltern officer
requested me to go two hundred yards farther, where I should find the
inspector general, and a lieutenant belonging to Mr. Billings. They
were informed of my arrival, and received me with the most flattering
demonstrations of esteem and joy. I had no sooner explained to them how
much the delay with which I was threatened would counteract my views,
than they gave instant orders for my being conducted to the other side
of the river, adding, that they were sure of the approbation of the
governor, to whom I had long since been announced and recommended.
At noon I entered the boat provided for me, and was four hours in
crossing the Lena in a diagonal direction. As far as I could judge by
my eye, this river cannot be less than two leagues wide.
When landed, I was interrogated by an officer of the police, who, as
was customary, led me to the apartment which he thought proper to fix
upon for my residence. I requested him to direct me to the house of M.
Marklofski, the governor, whom I immediately visited. He received me
with the utmost politeness, conversing entirely in French, which seemed
very familiar to him. After complimenting me upon the rapidity of my
journey[87], and my fortunate arrival, he invited me to stay a few days
at Yakoutsk, to recover myself from my fatigue.
But of all his obliging offers, nothing flattered me more than his
engaging me to sup the same evening with M. Billings. I had a strong
desire to be acquainted with him, and I waited with impatience till the
hour arrived. Our common profession of travellers, gave us a degree of
familiarity the moment we met, and we might have been taken for old
acquaintance; in the mean time we were both perfectly reserved upon the
subject of our respective missions, carefully avoiding in conversation
every thing that might lead to it. I admired the delicacy and prudence
of M. Billings in this respect: during my stay I dined once at his
house, and we met every morning and evening at the governors[88]; but
during our intercourse not a single indiscreet question escaped him.
He very much regretted the not having met in his cruize the frigates
of our expedition. He would have considered it as a happiness and
honour to have executed the generous intentions of his mistress, by
furnishing the count de la Perouse with every assistance in his power.
It is a debt that he owed, but had no other way of discharging, he
said, except towards me. There was in reality no sort of kindness that
he did not shew me.
Riding having extremely fatigued me, I was advised to sail up the Lena
as far as Irkoutsk. This was the more agreeable to me, as it would
give me time to recover, and as the delay it would occasion could not
be more than four or five days. As soon as I had resolved upon it, M.
Billings assisted me in procuring a boat, ordered two sails to be made
of my tent, gave me one of his trusty soldiers for a pilot, and in
short furnished me with every thing that might be useful in my passage.
The five days that I stayed at Yakoutsk were spent in preparations
for my departure. I had leisure however to remark that this was the
most pleasant and populous town I had yet seen in the whole extent of
country through which I had passed.
It is built on the western side of the Lena; the houses are of wood,
but large and commodious; that of the governor faces the port. The
majority of the churches are of stone. The port, which is dry at low
water, is formed by an arm of the river[89], that, in describing an
angle, flows under the walls of the town. The vessels that trade here
are merely barks; the greater part of them are used for transporting
the provisions sent by government, such as salt and flour. The
merchants hire or purchase these boats, for the conveyance of their
commodities, from the neighbourhood of the source of the Lena, where
they are built.
The Yakouts come not to the town but when business obliges them; it
is almost wholly inhabited by Russians. The effects of civilization
are perceptible in their manners and customs; the social spirit, and
the gaiety that is diffused among them, concur, with the interests of
commerce, to keep up among the inhabitants that active intercourse
which is the source of wealth, and augments the pleasures of life[90].
Having supplied myself with a fresh stock of provisions, I left
Yakoutsk 5 July at one o’clock in the morning. In the northern
latitudes, it is known, that for more than a week the interval between
day and night is scarcely perceptible. Already therefore the twilight
announced the approach of the sun, and we could perfectly distinguish
the sand banks that line this river as far as the first stage. Not
being able always to avoid them, my guides, or rather the men who drew
my boat, besought us every instant to place ourselves in the water
like them, to assist in hauling it over the shoals. Frequently also,
notwithstanding the enormous width of the river, we resolved to row
a cross, with the hope of finding a more easy passage; but in this
attempt the violence of the current drifted us half a werst, more or
less, back again. Large pieces of ice were still visible on the bank,
and would continue so, I was informed, all the year.
I shall not give a regular account of every day’s navigation. The
observations it furnished are too little interesting not to spare the
reader the tiresome uniformity of such details.
The stages are estimated by stations, and are frequently thirty,
forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, and even eighty wersts[91]. The reader
may judge from this of the labour of those unfortunate beings who are
condemned to this service, that is, to haul the boats from one station
to another. For the space of twelve hundred wersts, this terrible
employment is the punishment inflicted on convicts and malefactors.
They share this labour with horses; but when the boat runs aground, the
beast is supplied by a man, and then he has the most difficult passes
to surmount. The only relief afforded to these culprits is a small
quantity of flour allowed by government. The Yakout princes in the
neighbourhood are obliged also to contribute to their support, and in
case of need, to assist them with men and horses.
Many of these miserable beings are married; they retire with their
families in isbas that are half in ruins, and scattered here and there
along the right bank of the river. I was one day obliged by the rain to
seek a shelter in one of these habitations; I chose the most promising,
but in entering it I was nearly overcome by the noxious air, and words
are too weak to describe the shocking picture of misery that struck my
eyes. So far from finding a shelter in this house, I was in the course
of a quarter of an hour almost deluged; the rain poured down like a
torrent from every opening in the roof, and I preferred the braving it
in my boat.
Fishing and hunting fill up the leisure hours of these out-laws; their
vicious propensities are still the same, and they are influenced by no
other motive than interest or fear. Upon the approach of a boat, they
always attempt by flight to escape from the painful service imposed
on them by government. They played me this trick more than once. When
I arrived at a station, of five or six men who ought to be constantly
ready to receive the commands of travellers, one only appeared; the
rest had hid themselves in the woods, and my preceding guides were
obliged to conduct me to the next station[92]. I recompensed these
unfortunate creatures the more readily, as upon dismissing them I
frequently saw their feet covered with blood.
They over-reached me one morning in a singular manner. A post
boat going down the river, passed near ours; it was Golikoff’s turn
to watch. The cunning rascals asked his leave to change with their
comrades, and they knew so well how to persuade him it was for our
advantage, that he consented. Eager to inform me of our good fortune,
he awaked me, but it was merely to make me a witness with what speed
our villains sailed away, instead of joining the boat that drifted by
us. The confusion of Golikoff at the sight may well be conceived; he
knew not what excuse to make me, as we were obliged to draw the boat
ourselves to the next station; fortunately however it was at no great
distance. The men who had conducted the post boat were still there,
and my two soldiers quickly engaged them in our service. Their ready
compliance was I believe chiefly owing to the brutal tone of Golikoff;
our adventure had put him so much out of humour, that he could no
longer be prevailed upon to use moderation. “You do not know,” said he
to me, “how to treat these rascals. If I were to imitate your example,
we should be insulted at every poll, or be reduced to difficulties
similar to what we have just experienced.”
Meanwhile we arrived 14 July at Olekma[93] without meeting with any
other inconvenience. This town, the first I had seen since my departure
from Yakoutsk, is seven or eight hundred wersts from it, though in the
post expences it is only estimated at six hundred. It is situated at
the mouth of a river of the same name, and is small, badly built, and
offers nothing worth notice. I stayed there but two hours.
A few wersts on a small canoe came up to us, with only one man in
it. He offered some bark of the birch tree, which he had stripped
in the neighbouring woods; my soldiers were eager to purchase it in
order to cover our boat. My trader was a Toungouse, and belonged to a
family that was settled on the left bank[94]. I did not lose so good
an opportunity of being better acquainted with these people; I ordered
therefore my boat to be fastened on the right bank, and accompanied
only by Golikoff, I entered the canoe of the Toungouse, who was as
highly pleased as myself with the visit I was going to make to his
relations.
I was struck with the form and lightness of their canoes, the bottoms
of which are however so nearly circular as to present but little
surface to the water, and consequently they are easily overset. They
consist of laths disposed in net-work, and covered with the bark of the
birch tree sewn together and fortified with tar. The ends are narrow
and pointed, and the oar is kept in equipoise in the middle of the
vessel, so as to enable the rower to strike alternately with either end.
The Toungouses expressed the utmost joy at seeing me: surrounded,
welcomed, caressed, I was at a loss how to answer their professions of
friendship. A young deer was killed and laid at my feet; in making me
this present, these good people regretted that their poverty deprived
them of the ability and pleasure of being more useful to me. I was not
able myself to be very bountiful in my presents, and I only showed my
gratitude by leaving them some of my cloaths.