Photo

     After a short discussion the youkagirs made a wise decision to affranchise the “camel” & put his sledge in the head of the column in order to see him if he dropped out again. 
     I had been watching a short-tailed deer’s ass in front of me already for eight hours. My eyes were watering because of contrary wind. I became almost indifferent to the ending of my assignment when some unexpected movement & screaming occured ahead of me. I saw the front sledge shake off suddenly. The yaranga (moveable dwelling) showed black ahead. The deputy’s brother, having sobered up & yet not reduced, dashed & reached the yaranga first. He grabbed a carabine & rushed out with it. I saw him aiming at us & heard a flap. Instinctively I rolled down in the snow but good-natured yukagirs drew me out of it. By that time the avenger had been lying constrained & threatened to rape my mother and bring me to justice.
In the morning we were on friendly terms again & I got down to work. I was to make a report about the everyday life of the deputy. His working days consisted of rather unpretentious activities: lassoing the deer, castrating albinos, putting up & laying down the yaranga, changing pastures. That was all, perhaps.
 

      The yukagirs’ quarters. Photographed with the “Horizont” camera. Besides, this camera stood the frost well enough. It only damaged the film.