Year: 1879

over pesk. similar to the mems. The lower portion
OF the arms of these clothes wide and open In
side the tents the women completely naked. Win
the exception OF narrow waist belt IN rememprance
probably OF the costume. worn by their ancestors
when they inhabited milder climate Their hair Is
worn long. and plated and parted carefully. Inc
mems hair is often shaved cut down to tho roots.
with the exception of the outer edge which suffered
TO grow an inch long. The same practice prevaliea
zoo years ago among the tnans OF as sae nssrs or
other ornaments in their ears The women are
tattooed each side of the face with two dark blue
lines. from the eyes to the chin, and wear very cur
ousy formed ornaments. Many of the men are
painted the cheek bone with black. obique'
cross with reddish brown color.


MEETING THE ICE.


In the night preceding the 10th OF September the
surface of the became covered with very thick
of newly formed ice. As the drift ice appeared
somewhat broken up we decided on continuing our
voyage. detour toward the north was at frst
surro ounded u.s. But in this direction, too, our
course soon stopped by girdie OF old ice,
which the ice formed in the night had rendered
SO firm that it required IN hours work with axes
ana ice hatchets to cut q canal through It, ON the
other side OF this ice rde we found the water toler
ably clear but the fog became thick that to avoid
DANGER had to moor again to mass OF ice. which
situated further out ut but more to the west
than former anchorage. During the night fol-
lowing there was a great deal of motion the
ce Fortunately the air cleared in the morning. en-
abiing us to continue our course. between broken
ice, until the evening came on, when, as usual we
had to make fast to block OF ground ice. The next
day. the 18th. when we passed lrkaipi. or North





enormous thickness that advance was impossible
Compelled to retrace our course. We cut our way
with the greatest difficulty to the most northern
point of tongue OF land. near which. on the inner
side of q stranded block of ice, moored our ship
There we remained awaiting more favorable crcum-
stances. until the 18th of September Upon the 18TH
mus connecting Irkaipi with the mainland Is VIII
lage composed Of eighteen tents. We have
ruins even here! The traces; namely, of q number
OF old dwellings. vestiges of people who once in
hablted these regions and who, the Tchukchi
assert, were driven thence by their ancestors to
acr mt N WranQel
several legends of most romantic nature regarding
the final struggles Of this people, which are said to
cliffs OF these parts. wrangel also tells US that this
tribe were called the Onkilon.


ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS


Lieutenant Nordquist and DR.. Almqvist had the
ground dug up where stood the village OF this
Onkilon people. and collected many stone and bone
implements. Several houses had stood together.
They are partly built Of whalebones and driftwood,
were covered with earth and connected with
each other and the open air by long passage Scat
tered heaps these old ground plots contain the
bones of whales, walrus, seals, reindeer, bears,
dogs foxes white fish and different kinds Of birds.
also stone and bone implements Notwithstanding
that these things must have been buried in the
earth for $50 years. stone implements still in their
hafts met with among them. Even the straps
with which the stone axes were bound to their
handles were In good state of preservation. The
teeth of the walrus furnished the inhabitants of
that period. as they do the Tchukchi now, with
q substitute iron spear heads arrows. fish
hooks. ice axes; &c. being made OF them. Whale
largely used. The former were found in immense
quantities. Many. Of the old Onkilon dwellings,
were used by the Tchukchi for storing their
blubber; some showed signs of having been
dug up probably in search Of walrus teeth. Far
above the stone heaps Of irssip
built during the lighting which preceded the ex-
pulsion of the Onkilos. Upon several places the
grown with reindeer moss, were found. These
ranged in o circle, with the face turned inward.
skulls lis Of reindeer bears and walrus confusediy
mixed together. in the centre Of which deers'
anters ana horns were heaped up. Near these large
frontal bopey having parts OF the horns of tho elk,
large species Of stag still firmly attached
to them, were met with. Beside the other bones
lay nnumerabe heaps of the temporal bones OF SEALS
Among the other remains were scarcely any belong
ing seals, which to indicate that these tenn
pora bones do not form tho remainder OF decayed
skulls. but specially sacrificed portions OF the
animal. As human bones were. not found In tho
neighborhood and as also the natives assert that
these bones relics from the time OF the OnkilOs
it appears probable that these spots formerly
places OF sacrifice. Thcre arose the most friendly
the above mentioned Tchukchi camping ground ON
the shores OF the bay OF Irkaipi. somewhat corpu
lent, though remarkably tall, handsome and we'll
grown man. named Tschepurin. appeared to be
the chief Of the place. lie was several times
treated by us in the gunroom and then re.
frindship closer. Tschepurin had apparently
q great weakness for trinkets, and could now. by
means of his barter with u.s. satisfy his love show
to an extent never before dreamed of. When he
visited upon the last day. on board the Vega he
had put . red woolen shirt over his coat OF REIN





the end Of which were hanging large gold coins.
Tschepurin had two wives. who lived in harmony
together in one and the same tent, provided with
separate sleeping places.


BOUND UP FOR THE WINTER


On the 18th or September the condition Of the ice
was still unchanged. 1t was. however. advisable not
tarry longer wished to avoid the necessity Of
wintering there. The anchor therefore weighed.
and the Vega steamed on further along the in
only from 3ll to ~ fathoms OF water. As the Vega
draws 10 or II feet, there consequently
only some few feet OF water under her keel.
o,dt that hAtvr lea n n mi ia 1IvtkY nrVn
channel In ten or twelve minutes from the time
OF leaving our anchorage we came upon girdle OF
ice when labored through with the greatest diff
hcuity, thanks to the strong bow or the Vega
enabling her to Withstand the gigantic blows she
ceived. Atterward we were able to continue our
the evening when the ship ran upon mass of float
ing ice. As the tide was ebbng we could not get of
again until the following morning. and then not
until considerable portion Of the ground ice had
been hewn away with axes and ice hatchets. On
the 18th OF September went in the way.
in quiet and, for the most part shallow water
the coast, between high blocks often OF ice, OF the
most picturesque forms. After spending the night
moored to the ground ice we went forward,
on the 2Oth of September. among dirty looking ice,
which had been very little packed together during
the past winter. We soon came to place where the
ice was close to land that only about twelve to
fifteen feet OF tree water remained between 1t and
the shore. We were therefore compelled after some
hours lie to again the ground ice and wait for
more favorable circumstances. On the 22d made
IN excursion in the ships boat with Lieutenant
Palander. in order to make survey in an easterly
direction We fortunate enough to discover
a sufficiently deep channel, not too much hlled
up with ice and OH the 25d the Vega accordingly
continued her voyage between of thick drift
ice, often the land that the ship had only
foot of water under her keel. However. we were
proceeding. although slowly. In the night of the
Gath September moored the ship to the ground
ice i'll tolerably large opening. which, however,
closed up during the night. thus compelling us TO
remain where wo were until the Goth. when we were
able to continue voyage. ut first with difficulty
but atterward i'll more open water. up to point OF
land called Cape Onman III the maps. The natives
also who came on board here give the place the
same name The ice which we passed on this day
was coarser than formerly. OF blush white color.
and not ut all dirty. On the 9th We went forward
in water tolerably free from ice to Koutschin Bay
which we then entered making considerable curve.
and. crossing to the east coast. dropped anchor
the northeast point OF the bay some
hours before sunset. landward excursion
was then undertaken. Lieutenant Hovgaard
being also sent out with the boat to survey the
nearest channels and one of the fishermen commits
stoned to take q view OF the state of the ice from
neighboring height. Each one returned with n ia
vorabie report. Unfortunately the night was very
still and the temperature sank to degrees Celsius.