X.] THE CHUKCHES ON BOARD. 3G7 



children, and dogs were seen running up and down the beach 

 in eager confusion; some were seen driving in dog-sledges 

 on the ice street next the sea. They evidently feared that the 

 splendid opportunity which here lay before them of purchasing 

 brandy and tobacco, would be ,lost. From the vessel we could 

 see with glasses how several attempts were made to put out 

 boats, but they were again given up, until at last a boat was got 

 to a lane, clear of ice or only covered with a thin sheet, that ran 

 from the shore to the neighbourhood of the vessel. In this a 

 large skin boat was put out, which was filled brimful of men 

 and women, regardless of the evident danger of navigating such 

 a boat, heavily laden, through sharp, newly formed ice. They 

 rowed immediately to the vessel, and on reaching it most of 

 them climbed without the least hesitation over the gunwale with 

 jests and laughter, and the cry anoaj anoaj (good day, good day). 

 Our first meeting with the inhabitants of this region, where we 

 afterwards passed ten long months, was on both sides very 

 hearty, and formed the starting-point of a very friendly relation 

 between the Chukches and ourselves, which remained unaltered 

 during the whole of our stay. 



Regard for cleanliness comj^elled us to allow the Chukches 

 to come below deck only exceptionally, which at first annoyed 

 them much, so that one of them even showed a disposition to 

 retaliate by keeping us out of the bedchamber in his tent. 

 Our firmness on this point, however, combined with friendliness 

 and generosity, soon calmed them, and it was not so easy for 

 the men to exclude us from the inner tent, for in such visits 

 we always had confections and tobacco with us, both for them- 

 selves and for the women and children. On board the vessel's 

 tent-covered deck soon became a veritable reception saloon for 

 the whole population of the neighbourhood. Dog-team after 

 dog-team stood all day in rows, or more correctly lay snowed up 

 before the ice-built flight of steps to the deck of the Vega, 

 patiently waiting for the return of the visitors, or for the 

 pemmican I now and then from pity ordered to be given to the 

 Imngered animals. The report of the arrival of the remarkable 

 f(jreigners must besides have spread with great rapidity. For 

 we soon had visits even from distant settlements, and the Vega 

 finally became a resting-place at which every passer-by stopped 

 with his dog-team for some hours in order to satisfy his curiosity, 

 or to obtain in exchange for good words or some more acceptable 

 wares a little warm food, a bit of tobacco, and sometimes when 

 the weather was very stormy, a little drop of spirits, by the 

 Chukches called ram, a word whose origin is not to be sought 

 f(jr in the Swedish-Norwegian dram, but in the English word 

 rum. 



All who came on board were allowed to go about without let 



