CHAPTEE XXXIV. 



LIFE AMONG THE CHUKCHES. 



natives of Northeastern Siberia are called Chuk- 

 -L dies, and their coast extends from Chaun Bay on the 

 Arctic Ocean, around the Chukclies Peninsula to the Anadyr 

 River. Westward of Chaun Bay the coast as far as the 

 Gulf of Obi (about 100 degrees of longitude) is uninhabited, 

 although Russian samovies and native encampments are 

 found on the rivers at some distance from their mouths. 



The Chukclies are divided into two principal branches 

 speaking the same language, and belonging to the same 

 race, but differing considerably in their mode of life. One 

 division consists of reindeer nomads, who wander about with 

 their herds, and live by raising reindeer and by trade carry- 

 ing on a traffic between the savages in the northernmost 

 parts of America, and the Russian fur-dealers in Siberia. 



The other division are the Coast Chukclies who do not own 

 reindeer, but have dogs, and live in fixed, but easily movable 

 and frequently moved tents along the coast of Northeastern 

 Siberia. They have also settled along the shore of Bering 

 Sea, and some of an inferior race, nearly allied to the Esqui- 

 maux living there, have adopted their language and modes 

 of life. 



It was among the Coast Chukclies that the Rodgers crew 

 found shelter and sustenance during their five months' resi- 

 dence on the treeless shores adjoining St. Lawrence Bay. 

 During this period they were received as friends, and at 

 times when food was scarce families would go hungry that 

 their guests might not suffer. The struggle to get food 

 began as soon as they were fairly settled down for the win- 



(414) 



