The Great Frozen Land (Bolshaia Zemelskija Tundra); Narrative of a Winter Journey Across the Tundras and a Sojourn Among the Samoyads

8vo [23.5 x 16 cm]; xviii, 297, [ii, ads] pp, frontis with tissue guard, numerous illustrations from photos and drawings including full-page, 3 foldout colored maps, showing author's route, index. original blue pictorial gilt cloth, gilt ruled and with gilt spine title lettering, edges a little rubbed, signature and bookplate on endpaper, light foxing, very good sound copy, with a 'presentation copy' blind-stamp on title from the publisher. A pictu Arctic Bibliography 7940: 'In the fall of 1893 the author went to Vaygack Island, explored it and spent a year living among the Samoyeds using reindeer and ponies for sledge hauls. He travelled the arctic coast from Vaygach to the Pachora, ascended that river to Ust Tsilma, traveled westward to the Mezen via the Pinega to Archangel, thence eastward around the White Sea and north across the Kola to Varanger Fiord. This journey was undertaken to learn winter travel methods and gather information from the natives in preparation for the author's Franz Josef Land Expedition begun later in the year 1894'. The work describes the Samoyed's appearance, way of life, language, folktales, character, food, travel, beliefs and diseases, as well as natural history, geography, weather, the Lapps, scurvy and frostbite. Nerhood 416.