From Malkin we went to Ganal, which is forty-five wersts, but we were unable to travel with the speed we had expected. The Bistraïa was not completely frozen, and we were obliged to wind about and to cross woods, where the snow, though deep, was so far from firm, that our dogs sunk to their bellies, and were extremely fatigued. This induced us to abandon this road, and make again for the Bistraïa. We came up to it at ten wersts from Ganal, and found it in the state we had wished. The solidity of the ice promised us expeditious travelling, and we readily embraced the advantage. We followed this river till we came to the ostrog which is upon its bank, and consists of four isbas and twelve balagans. It offered nothing remarkable.
We only learned that there had been some very terrible hurricanes, and that they had not yet subsided, though their force was considerably diminished. There is no difficulty in accounting for the violence of these tempests. The surrounding high mountains form so many recesses in which the wind is embayed. The fewer avenues it has to escape at, the more impetuous it becomes: it seeks out a passage, rushes through the first that offers, breaks out in whirlwinds, scatters the snow over the roads, and generally renders them impassable.
Having spent a very indifferent night in the house of the toyon of Ganal, we set off the next day for Pouschiné. The distance is ninety wersts, which however we performed in fourteen hours; but the last half of the journey was very painful. No road being opened, our sledges sunk three or four feet in the snow, and the jolts were so frequent, that I was happy to escape with being only once overturned. We judged from the snow upon the trees, that it must have proceeded from the north, and been very heavy, which was confirmed by the inhabitants. Our road lay invariably through a forest of birch trees, and for some time we lost sight of the mountains, by which we had passed the preceding evening; but as we drew nearer to Pouschiné they became visible again.
The Kamtschatka runs by the lower end of this ostrog, which is larger than that of Ganal. The only thing I remarked in this place was, that the isbas had no chimneys; they have only, like the balagans, a narrow opening in the roof to let out the smoak, which is frequently closed up by a trap door to confine the heat. It is not possible to continue in apartments warmed in this manner; we must either come out, or prostrate ourselves on the floor, if we would escape being stifled, or at least blinded, by the smoke: it does not ascend directly towards the roof, but spreads a thick black cloud over the chamber; and as it seldom has time wholly to evaporate, the interior part of these isbas is lined with soot, which gives them a disgusting aspect and a most offensive smell.
But it is still less unpleasant than the noisome odour exhaled from a dismal lamp, that serves as a light to the whole house. Its form is not of the most elegant kind: it is simply a hollow pebble or stone, with a rag rolled up in the middle for a wick, round which is placed the grease of the sea wolf, or other animals. As soon as the wick is lighted, we are immediately surrounded with a dark and thick vapour, which contributes equally with the smoke to blacken the whole room: it seises the nose and throat, and penetrates to the very heart. This is not the only disagreeable smell that is experienced in these habitations; there is another, in my opinion, much more fetid, and which I never could endure; it is the nauseous exhalation from the dried and stinking fish, when it is preparing, when they are eating it, and even after it is eaten. The refuse is destined for the dogs; but before the poor animals get it, every corner of the room has been swept with it.
The persons who inhabit these dwellings exhibit a spectacle equally disgusting. Here is a group of women, shining from the fat with which they smear themselves, and wallowing on the ground amidst a heap of rags; some of them suckling their children, who are half naked, and bedaubed with filth from head to foot; others devouring with them some scraps of fish perfectly raw, and frequently putrid. There we see others in a dishabille that is not less filthy, lying upon bear's skins, chattering to one another, and frequently altogether, and employed in various domestic occupations, in expectation of their husbands.
Fortunately the houses of the toyons were cleaned as well as possible for the reception of M. Kasloff, who had always the kindness to let me lodge with him.
We slept at Pouschiné in the house of the toyon, and departed very early the next morning; we only travelled this day thirty four wersts. It seemed that the farther we advanced, the more the roads were obstructed with the snow. My two conductors were continually employed in keeping my sledge upright, to prevent it from overturning, or going out of the road; they were obliged also to exert their lungs to encourage the dogs, who frequently stopped, notwithstanding the blows that were bestowed upon them with equal profusion and address. These poor creatures, whose strength is inconceivable, had all the difficulty in the world to disengage themselves from the snow, which covered them as fast as they shook it off. It was frequently necessary to smooth it before them, to enable them to extricate the sledge. This also was the office of my guides. To support themselves upon the snow, they each fastened a racket to one of their feet, and in this manner they slid along, resting now and then their other foot upon the skate of the sledge. I doubt whether any exercise can be more fatiguing, or require greater strength and skill.
The ostrog of Charom, at which we had the good fortune to arrive, is situated upon the Kamtschatka: it furnished me with no remarks. We passed part of the night there, and left it before day.