houses.  If the door be left open ever so little, a dog will squeeze in, if he can; but he does not stay long within, for he is soon thrust out with blows and kicks; the women scream at the sight of a dog in the hut, for they fear lest he will find the fish-trough.  Yet after long journeys, the dogs are brought into the hut, and permitted to lie down by the fire, and to eat out of the family trough.  At other times they sleep in the snow, and eat whatever is thrown to them.  When they travel, bags of dried fish are brought in their sledges, to feed them by the way.  The puppies are tenderly treated, and petted by the fire; yet many are killed for the sake of their fleecy hair, which is considered a fine ornament for pelisses.

The Ostyaks have another, and a greater treasure than dogs; they have reindeer.  Those who live by fishing have dogs only, but those who dwell among the hills, have deer as well as dogs.  Reindeer are like dogs in one respect, they can be driven without either a whip or a bit, which are so necessary for horses.  But though they do not need the lashing of a whip; they require to be gently poked with a long pole; and though they do not need a bit, they require to be guided by a rein, fastened to their heads; because they are not like dogs, so sensible as to be managed by speaking.

But deer are very gentle, and are much more easily driven than horses.  To drive horses four-in-hand is very difficult, but to drive four reindeer is not.  The four deer are harnessed to the sledge all in a row, and a rein is fastened to the head of one; when he turns all the rest turn with him.  Usually they trot, but they can gallop very fast, even down hill.  When they are out of breath the driver lets them stop, and then the pretty creatures lie down, and cool their mouths with the snow lying on the ground.

Men ride upon reindeer; not upon their backs, but on their necks; for their backs are weak, while their necks are strong.  Riders do not mount reindeer as they do horses,—­by resting on their backs, and then making a spring, for that would hurt the poor animals; they lean on a long staff, and by its help, spring on the deer’s neck.  But it is not easy, when seated, to keep on; you would certainly fall off, for all strangers do, when they try to ride for the first time.  The Ostyak knows how to keep his balance, by waving his long staff in the air, while the deer trots briskly along.  But these reindeer have some curious fancies; they will not eat any food but such as they pluck themselves from the ground.  It would be of no use at the end of a long journey, to put them in a stable;—­they would not eat; they must be let loose to find their own nourishment, which is a kind of moss that grows wild among the hills.