128 BERING STRAIT 



made by the Chukches when they went to Anadyrskoi 

 Ostrog to acknowledge the dominion of the Russians, 

 that " The Noss is full of rocky mountains, and the 

 low grounds consist of land covered with turf. Oppo- 

 site to it lies an island, within sight of it, of no great 

 extent, and void of wood. It is inhabited by people 

 who have the same aspect as the Chukche, but are 

 quite a different nation, and speak their own language, 

 though they are not numerous. It is half a day's 

 voyage with boats from the Noss to the island. There 

 are no sables on the island, and no other animals but 

 foxes, wolves, and reindeer. Beyond the island is a 

 large continent that can be scarcely discerned from it, 

 and that only on clear days ; in calm weather one may 

 row over the sea from the island to the continent, 

 which is inhabited by a people who in every particular 

 resemble the Chukches. There are large forests of fir, 

 pine, larch, and cedar trees ; great rivers flow through 

 the country and fall into the sea. The inhabitants have 

 dwellings and fortified places of abode environed with 

 ramparts of earth ; they live upon wild reindeer and 

 fish ; their clothes are made of sable, fox, and reindeer 

 skins, for sables and foxes are there in great abundance. 

 The number of men in that country may be twice or 

 three times as many as that of the Chukches who are 

 often at war with them." That there was land in sight 

 somewhere seemed clear, but the reports differed in 

 placing it all the way round from the north to the east. 

 Many were the vain attempts to reach it from the 

 northward-flowing rivers, and it was left to be f )und 

 from the Pacific side. 



When Atlassof, in 1G97, took the first steps in the 



