San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-07-19
CHAPTER xvII.-THE CHAMAN.

CHAPTER XvII.-THE CHAMAN
The right bank of the Kolima rises almost
perpendicularly everywhere; in certain
places the rocks of schist veined with red
clay even slope over the stream. But, at
the spot where the Omolon flows into the
Kolima, the right bank suddenly becomes
level. 1t is occupied by the settlement Of
Zalivina, in which with Cossacks and Rus
slams (ths descendants of exiles, or Cossacks
from the ostrog Of Anadirsk driven back by
the Tchouktchis) are mingled, living in
perfect harmony, Yakoutes and Youkag-
hiris.
Upon the Kolima floated mists from the
Arctic Ocean, which was then being solidi-
fed by the action of the cold. These mists
had already moderated the temperature q
trife, when the warm wind" began to blow,
bringing with it more than thirty degrees Of
heat.
Let us penetrate into one of those huts
built Of the floating wood deposited upon
the banks Of the periodical spring inunda-
ions. Its walls were composed of beams
placed one above another, the interstices
being filled with moss and moistened pot
ter's clay. 1t was surrounded by sloping
bank of earth to protect it against the cold
Its roof was covered with earth well beaten
down.
The interior was divided into several small
apartments by few low partitions.
In the main apartment, corner was oc-
cupied by the tchouvale, kind of Yakoute
chimney formed Of willow branches twist
ed together basket fashion and plastered
within and without with potter's clay; q
hole cut in the roof gave passage to the
smoke.
This apartment was at once the kitchen
and the sitting-room. The entire family
worked and took their meals there. Two
openings of foot square on the southern
side of the hut CLOSED in summer with eel
skim were now filled with plates Of ice from
five to six inches thick, which allowed slen-
der threads of light to make their way into
the interior
Upon one Of the wide benches fastened to
the partition was lying a sick young girl.
About her were two native women, and two
women of Russian origin, one Of whom was
accompanied by her husband.
The women of Russian origin differed
from the Yakoutes in having regular fea-
lures and vigorous constitutions they were
taller and had hair of golden hue, one Of
them being even pretty. They also differed
from the natives in their costumes. While
the dark Yakoutes, with dropping eyes,
were clad in garments of softened reindeer
skin, the hair on the inside and the leather
dyed red with the bark of the alder tree, the
Russian ladies wore cotton garments. AS
coquetry is always present in women, the
reindeer garments of the Yakoutes were
trimmed on the sleeves with fine strips Of
beaver or river otter skin.
The native women also wore pantaloons
of reindeer hide and, over all, sort of tunic
or kamley of untanned reindeer skin to
which the smoke had communicated vel.
lowish tinge. The two Russian ladies, who,
as well as the Russian, were present as Wis.
itors, had chintz tunics with fur about the
shoulders, Their heads were covered with
pointed fur caps which descended upon their
cheeks.
The Russian was wrapped, above his
leather brooches, in q large pelisse, and
wore enormous boots over deer skin socks;
huge knife hung from his belt, beside Q
pewter pipe with very short stem and a
bark box, containing a finder steel and
native tobacco made Of the leaf of the tim
yane, mixed with larch wood, reduced to
powder.
A kettle placed over the fire contained
fish for the dogs.
Upon the table was set choice food, as II
for fete; superb piece Of reindeer meat,
smoked reindeer tongues, frozen fish,
strouganina, youkoula and tchir (the tchir
is very fat and highly esteemed fish, the
flesh of which is preserved by drying it and
pounding it together with little sueO.
There were also custards garnished with
red caviar md little pates made of the -four
of the makarcha root and filled with minced
fish entrails. A box held an ample supply
of tea.
The hut belonged TO one of the most i'm.
portant natives, a descendant of the ancient
chiefs, who had, Notwithstanding, lost
portion Of his authority over his tribe
Metek had not yet returned with his
sledges loaded with the spoils of the sum
mer chase. No one equalled him in pursu-
ing the reindeer over the great lakes and
in slaughtering them in the water, where
they believed they had found arefuge The
season before last he had killed hundred
of them. His return was expected at the
time Of the passing of the herring. Schools
of these fish had assembled the Kolimd, and
the jewellers upon its banks had taken more
than a thousand Of them at each haul Of the
net; nevertheless, Metek was not yet in the
bosom of his family.
The sick young girl wore over other gar
ments of a more simple nature, mantle OF
cotton tissue of variegated pattern, furnish
ed with a cape from which hung martens
tails. Her black hair was arranged in long
twists. and was kept back from her forehead
hv n hand