The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-06-05
ARCTIC IKDIAas.
SOME OF TIE QUEER PEOPLE VISITED By
EoEDESSEJOLD.

! SS-1S VI liz tsUEEh EEOfLL NANA@--S - .
EoEDESSKJoLD.
The rasives inhsbiting the coast Of
siberih between Cape Shelagskoi and
the southern part Of Behring Strait,
are called Tchuktchis. The number
is estimated to be about 5000 includ-
ing q nomedic tribe called the Rein-
Tchuktchis. who snb:ist by keeping
reindeer herds. These form 8 link
between their brethren on tue coast
and the inland tribes OF Siberia 70 the
later OF whom they dispose OF their
goods. consisting Of seal and Ualrus
hides, walTus test1, ETC.. which they
tIeceivs from the country population
in exchange Tor reindeer hides.
The coast population live In villages
numbering from three to twenty
tents, spread along the coast ss near
The shore as possible, and i:W
miles distance from each otLer.
The Tchuktchis are divided INTO
two sections each with tie respective
ohiet. The eastern population have
for their chief Mepka, who resides ct
Markowa, on the Ansdyr River. The
western again, are under the chief,
Aura Urgin, who resides II the Yicl-
nifty of Kolyma River.
The tent OF the coast Ichuktch!s
consist, Of a peculiar and cleEerly
constructed frame OF Wo)d the mate
rial icr which is Obtained from dIiit
logs, with which the shore Is plenti'
fully slreWe This is covered with q
mum Der OF seal aud walrus hides care
fully sewn together. Inside the tent.
and right before the entrance Ia a
smaller cubiform tent, made ot rein
deer skins, and used ss the sleeping
chamber. During the cold season It
Is heated by blubber-lamps. Even
during severe cold the atmosphere
within this tent il so heated that the
natives who occupy il, without dis
tinctiCn of eek or age, lie almost
nude. The dimensions OF the tent
depend upon toe number the family.
In each tent generally dwells ohlY
one family, in which age included
the sisters ard brothers Of the mar
ried couple before they settle tor
themselves.
The Tchukichis, the children OF
nature in the Arctic regions. ioetered
among ice, snow and cold, familiar
led with bloody scenes in the seal.
whale aud walrus hunt, without any
OF the influences Of civilization, are.
Notwithstanding, good-nstnred
friendly, hospitable I'd honest people.
Although the Vega during the
long winter was daily visited by si
least twenty natives, 1t was only or
tao or three occasions that they we're
found guilty OF dishonesty appro'
priating anything, and these thefta
were of the most lrif!ng description
The Tchuklchis are people o.
small stature, although among them
may be found perfect giants; as, fUl
| instance, a woman whom re saw si1
fee. three inches tsll. Their com
pIexion Is sallow, the mems beiDg
usually darker than that OF the
women. Occasionally, however, onC
may see, especially among tbs
women, q complexion as lair anc
clear "a that OF the Inhabitants oil
northern Europe. The eyes a.e
black, and oitsn set oblique like tue
Chinese. The hair, which is cos.-
black, is worn by the men quite
short; while the women allow it Il
grow freely, part it in the middle G
the brow, AMI wesr it in piaits @
twelve to eighteen inches long, which
hang down at each ear. They als(
wear O lock combed down and Gu
across which covers half the forehead
The men also use similar lock. anC
sometimes long tuit at tbs corner o
the head. This TUT is worn, 80 lar Z!
l could learn, only by chiefs.
Their clothing is made principally
of reindeer skin, and consists Of s
pesk or blouse reaching to the knees
with an opening at the top iust suffi
Gent for the head to pass through
In addition the men have tight fttinl
trousers OF reindeer-skin, which arr
tucked down into boots OF the cams
material, the latter with soles OF wal
rus hide. The women also weal
trousers, but those are vide, ending
immediately below the knee, where
they are similarly tucked into TIE
boots.
In the outer clothing the hairy side
O! the SKIN Is always to the exterior
but, on the contrary, the hairy silt
of these articles worn next the body
during the cold season Is lurDed il.
ward. A close-ftting hood of rein
deer-skiu and mittsns OF the same
material complete their dress. II
this costume they defy any kind o.
weather. Often so clad, night after
night, even in the most severe cold,
they pursue their seal-fshing miles
away from the shore without any
other protection from the icy winds.
Tke weapons of the Tchuktchis
consist OF a bow and arrows, spear
which, like the arrows, has a point oil
iron or of bone-a knife AID kind
of sling used for catching birds. The
iron for the arrow and spear-heads ia
obtained from the Americans and
Russians in their bagtering transac-
tons. They themselves hsve no iron
at their command nor any knowledge
of its working. To their hunting i'm
plements belong the sealing-net,
made OF fne-cus strips Of seal. hide,
melted With q three-inch mesh.
With these the young seala are
caught. The net is extended between
two blocks of ice, and the seals get
eniangled in its meshes, and so be
come an easy prey to the hunters.
The principal food of the natives