Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-08-19
THE CHUCKoHEEs.
BONE ACCOUNT OF THE STRANGE Gus
TOMS OF A PRIMITIVE TRIBE
10 RELIGION supsrst tion-R voting vi.
ands-Kindly but Filthy-How the
Crew of the Rodgers Lived

no nelly lou- cupcIst ticu-h soit1nS W.
ands-Kindly but Filthy-How the
Crew of the Rodgers Lived
A Herald correspondent writing from
Ounalaska, who was with the Rodgers
party, says: After sojourn of half year
among the 'seacoast" Chuokchees so
called in contradissinction to those Chuck
chees inhabiting tie vast tundra that
stretches from the eastern bank OF the
Kolyma to the shores of the Behring Sea-
it may be presumed that somewhat init
mate knowledge of their characteristics,
habits aud modes Of living were obtained
by the Rodgers crew. The natives inhab-
iting the shores of the bound Behring
Sea have but little means of subsistence or
resources to depend upon except those
which the sea affords. The Chuckchees
who dwell inland have their immense herds
of reindeer-an animal that not only serves
them for fooj, but also for transportation
In the winter, when they make their way
to the ceast in order to procure walrus and
zeal hides, whalebone and walrus tusks
OF this branch OF the Chuckchees but little
is kr own except that they are Injured to ex-
treme cold, are primitive in their habits
and, while utilizing the entire carcasses Of
the reindeer, reject-what to civilized ma
tons appears an anomnly-the rich milk of
the animal Whether their brethren of
the coast at one time owned similar herds,
and having lost them turned to the sea and
Its resources as means of subsistence, is a
question which has never been satisfactorily
solved. So far as their mode of living and
customs are concerned, they seemed to
have imbibed major portion of them from
the Innuits of Northern Alaska. Their
habitations are similar to those constructed
by their neighbors on the western shores
of Behring Strait, the coast Chuckchees
using walrus hide for the exterior covering,
while their brethren of the interior utilize
reindeer skin.
DWELLINGS.
The dwelling-which can scarcely be
dignitied by the name of house - is oval
shaped, or to convey a somewhat distinct
idea, resembles an inverted basin. When
q dwelling is erected the formation is
necessarily suited to their primitive appli-
ances. An upright piece of driftwood,
sometimes whalebones lashed together
with walrus hide, serves as q center pole
Springing from this canter are a series Of
curved bones or wood, forming a support
for the walrus hide covering. This cover
ing Is rudely sewed with thongs of seal
skin and fastened to the ground by means
of twisted walrus hide ropes, the endsgof
which are secured to rocks, which serve in
lieu Of tent pins. The interstices between
the rocks and points where the hide comes
to the ground are filed with hard, beaten
snow. The entrance to the hut invariably
faces the south, while reindeer skin
serves as door. Having gained admis-
sion through this entry space intervenes
between 1t and the main portion of the
hut. Here again hangs curtain Of deer
skin. 1t is in this space that the residents
strip off every stitch of clothing,
the females alone wearing narrow loin
hllet made of tanned deerskin, before
going into the interior compartment. a
sickeDing odor greets the nostrils as the
interior IS reached-an edor arising from
the congregation of many human beirgs,
the smoke OF the burning seal oil lamps,
and mixture of smells composed of rotten
meat and decaying matter. But the Rod
gers crew, by virtue of necessity, soon
became acclimated to the smells. Repus-
nant as it was to their feelings, force of
circumstances compelled them TO conform
in every way to the habits of their Chuck.
chez hosts.
THE BILLS OF FARE
Varied but little during their residence,
the only addition to the menu being
monthly, when the issue of the scanty "a.
lions took place, which were shared by the
men with their native companions. Frozen,
rotten walrus meat, sometimes the flesh of
hair seal, or fish, invariably eaten raw,
were the staple articles of dietary. As a
sort of bonnie bouche RENDERS blood in a
frozen state was occasionally served out.
This blood had been brought from she in
terror during the summer and transported
in bags made of the stomach of the seal,
With this blood is mixed grass, probably
species of sorrel, as the taste is described
as being extremely sour, but this intensif.
cation may be possibly due to the ferment-
alton that ensues from its admixture with
the blood. The pangs of hunger alone
compelled the Rodgers men to partake of
this substance. Those who did eat it say
that the stencil was go disgusting that
during the act of deglutition, and even
while conveying it to their mouths, they
had to compress the nostrils to shut out
the smell" During the winter the first
repast takes place at from 8 to 4 A. NJ the
final meal previous to retiring to rest, about
or P. NJ. In spring and summer, how
ever, when the days are long, they rise at
dawn and go out in their skin boats-which
are built of walrus hide and modelled after
the type in use by the Innuits of Alaska
TO hunt seal or walrus for winter supplies.
Then the meal are midday and at s
p. NJ, or before seeking their couches.
AT DINNER
The feminine tenants of the hut do the
carving, or rather hacking, with small
hatchets, procured in ira lie from the whal-
ing ships. This process divides the Jumps
of frozen meat into portions of large size,
which are p aced in wooden trough.
Each individual then squats on either side
OF the trough, and should some luckless
individual fail in grabbing a piece of the
meat he goes minus meal for that occa-
sion. The Chuckchees IRE very fast eat.
ers, and, to use the words of one of the
crew, If you don't try and follow suit in
eating you'll get nothing" After the meal
is finished the trough is licked by the
women, and every particle of meat or OLE
aginous matter that clings TO the wood is
thereby removed. The only use they make
of water is for drinking purposes. This is
obtained by melting snow in hole dug in
q corner of the hut, sometimes in q bucket,
the liquefaction being promoted by the
heated atmosphere of the apartment. How
the dogs that serve to draw the sledges OBJ.
tain strength is marvel the beasts sci.
dom get even a sniff of the rotten meat
and probably consider themselves very
lucky if by chance they fall across a piece
of walrus or seal hide. When reduced to
starvation the strong ones fall upon those
that are helpless and weak, literally rend
them to pieces and devour the entire body,
flesh, bones, and even the skin. The
aversion and loathing with which the off.
GERS and men regarded these horrible
messes Of dog, rotten walrus and seal meat
can scarcely be imagined. But these