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598 LE ROY’S NARRATIVE OF FOUR RUSSIAN SAILORS.
its native country; but I can prove this affertion to be groundlefs. At Mofcow in the
year 1731, I faw a dozen of them which were running by the fide of the houfe of
Count Von Golofkin, at that time grand chancellor, which were kept in his grounds :
they were of a reddifh white colour. In the year 1752, Count Peter Iwanowitch Von
Schuwaloff, fent for two from Archangel; a male, and female. They were fed on
mofs. The female was a young one which throve to admiration, and down to the
year 1754, was in perfeét health. Thefe are matters to which I was an eye witnefs at
Mofcow. I cannot tell however what length of time fhe lived, as I returned the fame
year to Peterfburg. Having finifhed this fhort digreflion, I return to my narrative.
The injuries which the hut fo luckily difcovered by the failors had received, were
very trivial: the planks of which it was built had feparated in different places, and re-
quiring to have the chinks filled with mofs, the wind had a free paflage afforded it.»
This however was an evil eafy to be remedied, as they hadan axe, and the planks were
not decayed. Itis well known that in thefe cold climates wood keeps entire for man
years, and is not fubject to be worm eaten. It coft them but little trouble to join the
planks together again, and with the mofs which was found in abundance on the ifland,
they readily filled up every crevice; this practice is generally followed in compleating
houfes con{tructed of wood. Thefe men relieved themfelves from this inconvenience
without embarrafsment, the more fo from its being the cuftom as is well known, for
the Ruffian peafants to build their own dwellings: they are confequently expert in the
ufe of the axe.
The cold in thefe climates is infupportable, and the earth itfelf produces no trees;
not even the fmalleft bufh. This want of wood our unfortunate adventurers had re-
marked on looking round the ifland on their arrival, and they were under apprehen-
fion of perifhing of cold. Their good fortune however favoured them ; the pieces of a
fhip which had been wrecked, were thrown on the coafts of this ifland; an accident
which furnifhed them with wood enough to carry them through their firft winter.
Nearly the fame affiftance was to be fent them the following year, this affording them
no more than an advantageous variation: the waves of the fea continually throwing on
fhore entire trees with their roots, without their being able to divine from what country
they were brought. , This circumftance will not appear incredible to thofe who
have taken the pains to inform themfelves of what different writers have related on
this fubje&t; who notice its frequency, whether on our wintering at Nova Zemla,
(not Zembla as we fhall prove,) or in lands of other latitudes farther towards the
North.
I break in on my narrative to obferve that it fhould be called not Nova Zembla, but
Novoia or Nova Zemla, which fignifies new earth, or new land, the Ruffian term con-
veying both thefe meanings; and under this name when fpoken of, it is known in
Ruflia.
Nothing affifted thefe failors during the firft year of their exile, fo much asa board
to which was fixed a long iron hook, and a nail four or five inches long, and propor-
tionately thick; as well, another board to which was faftened different old iron work,
the fad remains of fome veflel which had been loft in this wide extended fea. ‘This un-
expected aid arrived at a time when they had nearly expended their powder ; when the
flefh of the rein-deer which they had fhot was almoft all confumed ; and they had no
other profpeét than that of perifhing with hunger. A fecond piece of good fortune be-
fell them, little lefs valuable than the firft : they found on the fea fhore the root of a fir
sree which was nearly in the fhape of a bow.
Neceflity
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