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A NEW ACCOUNT OF SAMOIJEDIA, AND THE SAMOIEDES, 525
known throughout the North, and indeed, from the defcription he gives of them, they
could be recognized but with great difficulty. He even advances a bold affertion,
when he ftates the Laplanders, the Samoiedes, and the people of Northern Tartary to
form but one nation; fince it requires no more than an attention to the difference of
their features, their manners, and their language to be convinced they are of a different
race as will in the fequel be fhewn.
Let me be permitted to make a fhort digreffion on the fubje&t of Nova Zemla, of
which I have mentioned, fome interefting particulars will be found init, which I have
received from well informed perfons, and which will throw fome light on what may
have made it be prefumed to be inhabited.
As the Ruffians inhabiting Mozine and the neighbourhood of Archangel, have for
many years been accuftomed to fifh for wabrafes or fea calves, on the coa{fts of Nova
Zemla; and have even paffed the winter there; all the fhores are well known to them.
From the uniform account of all thofe who have landed on the ifland, it is eftablifhed
that the Strait of Weigats feparates it from the continent; that it begins in latitude 71°,
and extends in a direct line towards the North, as far as latitude 75° 4’ N., and that on
the other hand it comprizes 7° from Weft to Eaft. Precifely in the middle of this ifland
or to fpeak with more exactitude under the 73° of latitude on the eaftern fide; a
channel or ftrait is met with which traverfing the whole ifland, and turning towards the
N. W., falls into the North Sea, on the weftern fide, in latitude 73° 3’, cutting the
ifland nearly into two equal parts.
It is not known whether this ftrait be navigable ; it has certainly been always found
covered with ice, and on this account it could never be well examined.
The courfe from Archangel, or the coaft of Mozine to Nova Zemla, is not attended
with much rifque by pafling by Kandanvoes and the ifland of Kalgnew. Little informed
as the perfons who undertake this voyage are in the art of navigation, they know
enough not to mifs the bays, which are upon the coafts of this, country; and which
already they are well acquainted with. There is as well always to be met with a fuffi-
cient number of people ready to undertake this fifhery ; notwith{tanding the profit that
is derived from it be very moderate.
-Thefe voyages are made in {mall veffels built in the old fafhion of their country ; the
complement of which ufually confifts of ten or twelve men, who receive no other pay
than the portions of the produce of the fifhery, which are allotted them, after deduét -
ing ae expences of the equipment, and the major part referved for the proprietor of
the ihip.
This country at leaft as much of it as is prefent known, is a defart entirely barren.
It produces very little herbage ; neither trees nor bufhes are to be met with, fo that
thofe who refort there for the fifhery, are obliged to provide themfelves with wood for
firing.
Iris true of all thofe who have landed in the ifland, none have penetrated further
than fifty or fixty werfts into the interior, which may give room for conceiving that in
the center of the ifland there may poflibly be fome lands more fertile, and even fome
inhabitants. However, as the fhores have been frequented for a long time all round
the ifland, by a number of people attracted there by the fifhery, without the leaft vef-
tige of inhabitants being difcovered; and befides, as no other animals have been met
with but fuch as feed on mofs or fifh, fuch as white bears, white foxes, and rein-deer ;
and not even one of the defcription which are fupported by berries, herbage, roots, or
thoots of fhrubs ; it is highly probable that this ifland contains no inhabitants, and
that its interior is as deftitute of wood as the fhores.
As
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