The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-20

sons Chukchi girl is carried away by a
koryak warrior and forced to become his
wife. Thus she upbraids him: when /
lived with my brothers they fed me on
seal blubber. Why do you annoy me with
your everlasting reindeer meat?'
The increase of the Chrkchi herds is
matter of growth during the last fifty
years and is simultaneous with their eI-
pansion to the westward and southwark.
Families which were formerly dependent
on other peoples herds now have descend
ants owning one or more herds Of their
own.
There are several races of domesticated
reindeer. The Chukchi. as compared with
the Lamut reindeer, is understood, legs
shorter, body heavier. head shorter, ant
lerS heavier, skin darker. and the differ
ence between buck and doe less marked
The koryak variety is still smaller and
darker. The Lamut reindeer about the
Okhotsk Sea is the largest and darkest
Of all.
The Chulichi reindeer is quite unfit for
the saddle and not strong as sledge
motor as the Lamut variety especially in
the heavy snow. 1t is better for the table
however. as it fattens quickly and retains
Its fat. In good pasturage the fat accumu-
lates over the entire body, having a depth
of two inches about the tail. A brisk
trade of reindeer progresses between the
Lamuts and Chukchis. the formers ami
mails having twice the value Of the lat
ter'S.
VALUABLE, LAMUT FAWN.
A Lamut fawn Is equal in value to a
Chukchi grown animal: broken Lamut
reindeer is worth three Chukchi animals
The Lamuts and fungus often break in all
the young bucks of their herds to barter
with the Chukchis. The result is that the
Chrkchi hurness reindeer of to-day is
lot,
The 1.amuts have ceased to slaughter
animals of their own breeding, owing to
cheapness of the Chukchi variety and its
better edible condition.
The crossing of tame and wild reindeer
Is common with Chukchi herds. although
the ruttinS season of the wild is two
weeks later than that of the tame ami
mails.
One by one the wild bucks approach the
tame herds, fighting the tame bucks and
seeking the rutting does. The herdsmen
keep away, even at the risk of some loss
of animals.
If a visit is necessary the herdsman
carefully Keeps to the windward to pre-
vent soaring shy guests The visits of
blessings. for which the herdsmen offer up
1rcantations and special chorus and strive
to allnde and detain the wild bucks as long
az possible
After crossing the Chukchi considers
his blessing recalled unless he kills the
visitor, n feat TO which he gives his best
eHoIlS. links tnat " several OF the
wild bucks should escape his herds will
return the visit on the following spring
and never come back.
The intcrbred offerings are highly val
ued. Their wild blood Is retained for sew
eral generations: they are broken to the
harness. being swifter and having more
mettie than the doTnestics. and are used
especially for racing.
Sometimes a tame buck crosses with
Wild doc. If known. the doe Is watched.
the offspring caught and broken, when 1t
Is most valued of all the herd.
The Chukchis think the first crossing
more gentle. the second crossing showing
minute signs of returning wildness.
DARKEST AFTER SHEDDING.
The color of the reindeer ranges from
spotless snow white to dark gray and
hazelnut brown, usually called black by
the natives. The animal is darkest after
shedding the hair and lightest In the
spring. The fawns are darker than the
parents, the white fawns being most
valued. In demonstrating the 'fawn
skins are used almost exclusively. The
fawns are killed at two set periods in the
fall. according to the type of skin desired.
The late fall fawn skins are for heavy
overcoats; of the adults. for bed covers,
bedding.
For the Russian trade, spring fawns
skins OF the smaller size are required as
they bring the largest price Adult skins
are soft curried before being sold to trad
ers. The American Eskimos trade for
the white-spotted skins. but the pure white
skins are most highly valued everywhere:
For garments. the Chukchi men value all
co!ors alike. but the women prefer che
spotted skins.
In winter the reindeer are fed on moss,
of which there are seven species growing
hills. With the first green sprouts peeping
through the SHOWS the reindeer abandon
the moss and scatter In search or spring
foods. In summer the animals feed on