The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-04-16


solately necessary, as they contemplated to
return in the hunting season The other
camp, or tentage, called Inivetlin, was SIT
uated nearer the cape toward Koljutschin
Bay. lt comprised on our arrival seven
tents. The inbabitauts seemed to be bet
ter provided than The Pitlekajs. They had
a bstter catch during the fall and laid in
more store and very few Of these removed
during the winter. The following tentages
(camps) were settled somewhat farther
from our ~iLter quarters, yet sutfi ;ientiy
near to esabie the inhabitants TO pay us
frequent visits. They were named:
PIdlIu, ON the east side of Koliutschin
Bay, A tents.
Koljutschin, on island of same name. %
tents.
Ryraitinop, about 6 kilometres east Of
Pitlekaj, 3 tents.
Irgunak, about kilometres east of Pile.
kaj, 10 tents.
OF the latter, however, there remained
in February only for tents, the rest having
during the winter sought better locations
for catch towards the east.
The number of persons belonging to each
tent was difficult TO determine, owing
to the circumstance that the
Tcshuktsch people continually visit
each other for chat aud bsobie. The av.
erage is probably five or six. The number
of inhabitants in the vicinity of our winter
quarters was, therefore-those on koljut-
scnIn Island included-about two hundred.
At the time We we're shut in, the ice was
too weak to bear up footman and che
difficulty of communicating between the
shore and the vessel with the means at the
command of the Tschuktschus was great IN
proportion. Immediately, as soon as the
natives deserted us, great ado arose
among them. Msn, women, children and
dogs were seen to run forward and back
wards in confused precipitation. Plainly
it was feared that fine opportunity for
barter in liquor and tobacco would be lost.
Many were the vain attempts to launch boats,
which had to be abandoned, until finally
success was attained by dragging boat to
strip of open water, or but lightly cover
ed with thin crust Of ice, leading up te
the neighborhood of the ship. Into this
their kin boats were launched and pres.
emily rowed to tho ship, laden with men
and women elfectly regardless OF the man
ifest risk they ran of being swamped-
wrecked against the sharp edges OF the
new formed ice. The first meeting was on
both sides very cordial and formed the I'M
tial point of relations between them and
us peculiarly friendly, and which relations
continued unchanged through the whole OF
oar sojouru there. For the rest, rumor OF
the arrival of the distinguished strangers
mast have spread quite rapidly, for We had
soon calls from the more distant settlements
and the Vega soon became resting place
at which dog team travellers would stop a
few hours TO satisfy their curiosity and to
barter social sentiments, and. in addition,
more tangible commodities, IN order to OBJ
tain a warm meal, = piece OF tobacco, Or,
at times. when the weather was rough, a
ram (rschuktsch designation for dram).
Everyone who came was at liberty to 60
where he pleased On our deck, which war
generally strewed with oil sorts Of truck.
yet for all this We never missed anything.
The principle OF honesty is equally as we'll
confirmed among these rs in the "Gammi''
of the Laplauders. However, they became
very soon annoying with their propensity
to beg, which is not, indeed, limited by any
self-assertion. Nor did they disdrin To
draw every possible advantage in barter
from the stupid imprscticsblsnesso of the
Europeans, and Of which they were vel
assured. Thus minor receptions we're not
accounted moral errors among them. They
would, for issuance, Outlines sell the SAM
thing twice, they we're prodigal In prom
Uses which they had no intention to fill, and
often gave . deceptive account Of things
they offered for sale. Csrcasses Of foxes
we're thus frequently offered az veritabe
hares, after skin, head and feet bad been
removed, and it Was ludcrous to observe
their trepidation when they found how
promptly We discovered the fraud. The p3r-
feet ignorance Of money among the Tsch
and the limited access vs had to means for
barter, according tn their tastS, compelled
us to hold the con nodities We had yell w
in price. To the great establishment of the
the n1tives the Vega did not purchase the
current staples, fur and blubser. On the
other hand, . full collection Of weapons,
costumes and of utensils vas taken. This
was purchased for account Of the sxpedi-
ton. Generally collections Of physiological
sad photographed objects for private &C
count were Absolutely forbidden. After the
Tsch bad comaenced TO relish our food,
and especially during the sc ason when game
failed, they undertook to draw driftwood
knuckles and other bones Of tho whale on
board and barter them for bread, A load
of Ave sticks of wood. four to five inches
thick and and fsthom in length, Vas paid
for with two ships biscuits-that is, 2oO
grammes OF bread a; the knuckie of a whale
with two or three such biscuits. BY and
by . couple Of young natives made daily
habit Of appearing on board, and at theil
ease, of course, performed some menia
service or other. The cook becsne their
special patron, and from him they had the
return Of . generous moiety Of the rem
nants from the table. Partly in this man.
ner and partly by actual gifts during the
winter We contributed in effect to tho miti
CATION of famiae which otherwise threat.
ened the population. None of the natives
in the neigh borhood of the Vegas winter
quarters were Christians. None spoke any
of the Europeas languages, though some
one or other would understand . few words
of English or would greet you in Russian
This was an awk ward state Of affairs, be
cause it frequently caused great vexation
IL was ON this account, therefore, that
Lieutenant NordQuist began to study their
language, and this with such zest and
progress that within couple Of weeks be
could make himself passably well under
stood. hope that Lieutenant N. on his
return home will make the fruit of these
studies available BY publishing q compre
hensive vocabulary of this language, 30 lit
tie known, and also that he will demonstrate
its grammatical structure.
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.