Hermit

On the shore of the Yenisei: one in the boat, not counting the bear

Ten years alone, rarely violated by hunters, fishermen or random tourists, a person lives in the Yenisei taiga. He is comfortable here, far from society and civilization

Victor, taiga man

Fish - its main food all year round

This man lives in a hut in the far corner of the deep Yenisei bay. You can only get there by boat, and even if you know where and why you are floating. With those few who gets, Victor - as he seems, never calling his last name, - friendly, talkative, willingly shows his lands and talks about taiga life. He does not like to answer questions about his former life. After the end of the nine years, he worked, they say, a boatman on the Yenisei, he knows how to manage river courts, but after perestroika he was left without work, and he did not want to go on a deal with the “thieves” (as he calls the transport company, which was engaged in river transportation in its area). I tried to fit into a new life, but it did not work. Then he went to the taiga - so as not to depend on people: "It is easier to build his life himself." And for ten years now I have been living completely alone, all year round, and in the summer, and the harsh Siberian winter. In the summer, he says, the forest gives him his energy, and he feels perfectly, not feeling his current 57 years. In winter, it is weakening worse in winter - after all, the forest itself rests in winter and does not share energy with the hermit.

Victor feeds mainly on fish. In summer, mushrooms and berries are added to the fish, it harvests them for the winter. When he is sick, he heals himself with medicinal herbs that he collects in the taiga.

On the eastern shore of the Yenisei, where Victor lives, there are no roads, no power lines, no human housing. Only steep, rocky shores and untouched taiga. Civilization is on the opposite bank of the river, there is a highway along which cars drive, there are people and shops. The nearest village where you can get food and fishing tackle are 30 kilometers from its hut. To buy (exchange for fish and mushrooms) flour, matches, salt, you need to cross the wide Yenisei. A few years ago, Victor had a skirmish with state inspectors of river transport - his boat did not have a registration number, and it was required either registration or money. Then he made a raft from the foam, the rafts do not need to be registered. On this raft and swam all the past summer. Fortunately, the district head of the inspection changed in the fall, and the hermit was left alone. Now Victor walks along the Yenisei on a small motor.

Sometimes a bear descends to the Hermit’s house from the hill. “I drive him away,” says Victor. How he drives the bear - did not explain. He has no gun or other firearms, only a hunting knife on his belt. He believes that the bear himself understands everything: “The bear is like a person. He knows that this is my house and I'm the master here. ”

Except Viktor's chibara, there is no housing on this shore of the Yenisei

Firewood for the winter

Victor is religious, often reads the Bible aloud

For supplies you have to go to the other side of the river

Best fishing - at dawn