ery official in Yakutsk, from the Governor downwards, during that
trying time, for it was undoubtedly their timely assistance which
eventually kindled the bright flame of success out of the ashes of a
forlorn hope. As soon as it was realised that my resolve to proceed
northward was inflexible, every man worked to further my ends as though
he himself was embarking upon the hazardous trip. Even the Governor was
continually concocting plans to render our voyage as easy as possible,
and to that end despatched a Cossack three days ahead of us, so that
reindeer might be forthcoming at the stations without delay. But his
Excellency evidently looked upon the scheme as a mad one, and my daily
anxiety was lest he should suddenly take the initiative, set the wires
in motion with Irkutsk, and put a final stopper on our departure for
America--overland.

We now disposed of our cumbersome Yakute sleighs and exchanged them for
"nartas," or reindeer-sleds, each drawn by four deer. A "narta" is a
long narrow coffin-shaped vehicle about 7 ft. long by 3 ft. broad,
fitted with a movable hood, which can be drawn completely over during
storms or intense cold. The occupant lies at full length upon his
mattress and pillows, smothered with furs, and these tiny sleds were as
automobiles to wheelbarrows after our lumbering contrivances on the
Lena. A reindeer-sled is the pleasantest form of primitive travel in the
world, over smooth hard snow; but over rough ground their very lightness
makes them roll and pitch about like a cross Channel steamer, to the
great discomfort of the traveller.

Furs were my next consideration, for here we discarded civilised
clothing and assumed native dress. The reader will realise what the cold
must have been when I say that we often shivered inside the covered
sleighs (where, however, the temperature never rose above 10 deg. below
zero), under the following mountain of material: two pairs of Jaeger
singlets and drawers, thin deerskin breeches and three pairs of thick
worsted stockings. Over this a suit of Arctic duffle (or felt of
enormous thickness), and a pair of deerskin boots reaching above the
knee and secured by leathern thongs. Then a second pair of deerskin
breeches and a garment called by the Yakutes a "kukhlanka," a long,
loose deerskin coat reaching to the knees, with a hood of the same
material lined with wolverine. Under this hood we wore two close-fitting
worsted caps and a deerskin cap with ear flaps.