The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-07
Continued from Fret Page.

stroying such places and their con-
tents.
Until the coming Of spring tho ex-
petition wandered from one part Of
Tungusland TO another. Then they
started for the southern region OF the
Yenisei. inhabited by the Tatars. who
mix with the Russians and are in con-
sequence much more civilized.
The spring and summer months Of
this year were spent among these
people and then the expedition started
home. They returned by way OF
Petrograd, Sweden and Norway. In
which countries the customs ofic!a.s
aided In shipping the valuable speci-
mems and did not even require the
opening Of the boxes. Among the
specimens are costumes. weapons. I'M
PIGMENTS and copper and iron orna-
men,s. the latter rough but with some
| artistic merit.
As for the fungus and their life. it's
| best summed up in their homely phi
iosophy. For eating n laughing II
care To keep their feet dry are their
! principal occupations. Scientifically
they are nomad reindeer breeders.
, As u rule they live in families rather
than In tribal fashion. a condition due
to the fact that the tundra Is so bar
rem and unproductive that n family
mus, live at considerable distance from
another because OF the slim supply
of moss for the reindeer herd.
: The distance between family en-
campments Is determined By the size
Of the herds range. And as n herd
will cover a large territory the family
shelters are never less h a three and
generally about six miles apart. When
the moss in one locality Is exhausted
the family packs It's possessions on
reindeer sledges and moves to fresh
grazing ields A fungus encamp-
ment as a rule consists Of one or two
tents, similar in shape and construc-
ton to the wigwam OF the American
Indian. The interiors OF the tents are
far from sanitary and attractive. but
the bitter cold emoves any qualms
that a European may have upon first
entering II Of them.
The fungus knows that he can face
the Arctic wind that sweeps across
the open expanse Of frozen plain bet
ter on a full stomach. Furthermore.
he has little to do besides eating.
His diet consists Of Ash and reindeer
meat. usually eaten raw because of
the difficulty OF manufacturing fire
And with his "carnibal sandwich
with the bread slices miss!ng--he
drinks immense quantities Of an In
ferior grade Of tea.
As for bathing. nothing could hc
further from his thoughts and his
wish. Water to him. throughout the
greater part Of the year. !s a precious
thing. requiring a laborious klndling Of
fire and the melting Of snow. When
ever a fungus has dined generously
and finds his face and hands covered
with rich venison rease he merely
rubs II oY-or at least the surface OF
it-with pulver!zed rotten wood.
The fungus are great testers and
love nothing more than a good, though
crude. toke-unless perhaps II is eat
ing. They are also an inquisitive race
and they continually queried the
'plorers as TO the world they came from
and articles In their possession. A
medicine case in the expedition. the
contents Of which gav relief To some
slightly III natives, WAS a constant
source OF curiosity. They attributed
the medicine TO supernatural power.
The strength Of the stomachs OF thu
fungus was in turn a continual source
Of wonder and curiosity TO the mem
bers of the expedition. They seemed
able to assimi!ate anything without thu
least trouble. For one thing liquor II
comparatively unknown to them, al
though an occasional fungus receives
a vodka jag'--or rather did befor'
the Cars ukase-after finding hi
way to a Russian trading post. To
bacco is used to some extent. Like tn
tea, it Is obtained by passing through
many hands until It reaches the centr'
Of fungus land from the traders ncal
its borders.
Barter Is one Of the chief delight
. OF the Fungus. Gold and silver coin
are known. but the medium OF eN
change Is furs and reindeer. Ties
are sent from the interior thrcusl