144 THE JEANNETTE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



in their extreme character of rude nomads, unlettered, and 

 still pagan, or but imperfectly Christianized. The Tungusian 

 approaches the Mongolian, the Ostjak, or the Eskimo, accord- 

 ing as his residence is north or south ; within the limit of 

 the growth of trees or beyond it ; on the champaign, the 

 steppe, or the tundra. On the tundra the horse ceases to be 

 his domestic animal, and the reindeer or the dog replace it 

 Ilence we hear of three divisions of the Tunguse family, 

 called by different names, according as they possess horses, 

 reindeer, or dogs. 



In the center of the province, occupying the valley of the 

 Lena, roam the Yakuts. They are of middle height, and 

 of a light copper color, with black bah*, which the men cut 

 short. They belong to the great Turk family, and as a race 

 are good-tempered, orderly, hospitable, and capable of endur- 

 ing great privation patiently ; but they have not the independ- 

 ence of character which distinguishes their Tunguse neigh- 

 bors. Some travelers see in them a strong resemblance to 

 the North American Indians. 



The winter dwellings of the Yakuts have doors of raw 

 hides, and log or wicker walls calked with cow-dung, and 

 flanked with banks of earth to the height of the windows. 

 The latter are made of sheets of ice, kept in their place from 

 the outside by a slanting pole, the lower end of which is 

 fixed in the ground. They are rendered air-tight by pouring 

 on water, which quickly freezes round the edges. The flat 

 roof is covered with earth, and over the door, facing the 

 east, the boards project, making a covered place in front. 

 Under the same roof are the winter shelters for the cows 

 and for the people, the former being the larger. The fire- 

 place consists of a wicker frame plastered over with clay, 

 room being left for a man to pass between the fireplace and 

 the wall. The hearth is made of beaten earth, and on it 

 there is at all times a blazing fire, and logs of larchwood 

 throw up showers of sparks to the roof. Young calves, like 

 children, are often brought into the house to the fire, whilst 

 their mothers cast a contented look through the open door 



