402 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [chap. 



which Notti and I continued our journey to Najtskaj, I riding 

 and he running alongside the sleigh. At Irgunnuk, a Chukch 

 village about an English mile east of Rirajtinop, a short 

 stay was made in order to try to borrow some dogs, but without 

 success. We continued our journey along the shore, and at 

 10 o'clock A.M. arrived atNajtskaj, which is from fifteen to eigh- 

 teen kilometres E.S.E. from Irgunnuk. Here we were received 

 by most of our former neighbours, the inhabitants of Pitlekaj. 

 Of the thirteen tents of the village the "five western- 

 most were occupied by the former population of Pitlekaj, 

 while the eight lying more to the eastward were inhabited by 

 other Chukches. The Pitlekaj people had not pitched their 

 common large tents, but such as were of inconsiderable size or 

 small ones fastened close together. In all the tents here, as at 

 Rirajtinop and Irgunnuk, there was much blubber laid up ; we 

 saw pieces of seal and whole seals piled up before the tents, 

 and on the way to Najtskaj we met several sledges loaded with 

 seals, on their way to Pidlin. At Najtskaj I went out hunting 

 accompanied by a Chukch. We started eight hares, but did 

 not succeed in getting within range of them. A red fox was 

 seen at a great distance but neither ptarmigan nor traces of 

 them could be discovered. At two in the afternoon I returned 

 to Irgunnuk and there got another sleigh drawn by ten dogs, 

 with which I soon reached the vessel." 



On the 20th February three large Chukch sledges laden with 

 goods and drawn by sixteen to twenty dogs stopped at the Vega. 

 They said they came from the eastward, and were on 

 their way to the market in the neighbourhood of Nischni 

 Kolymsk. I again by way of experiment sent with them home- 

 letters, for which, as they declined to take money, I gave them as 

 postage three bottles of rum and abundant entertainment for 

 men and dogs. In consideration of this payment they bound 

 themselves faithfully to execute their commission and promised 

 to return in May. And they kept their word. For on the 8th 

 and 9th May a large number of sledges heavily laden with rein- 

 deer skins and drawn by many dogs, passed along the coast from 

 west to east. Of course all rested at the Vega, the only house 

 of entertainment on the coast of the Asiatic Polar Sea, consider- 

 ing it as a matter of indisputable right, that they should in 

 return for a little talk and gossip obtain food and " ram." Very 

 eagerly they now informed us that a letter would come with 

 another dog train that might be expected in a few hours. This 

 was for us a very great piece of news, the importance of which 

 none can understand who has never hungered for months for 

 news from home, from the home-land and the home-world. 

 Eager to know if we had actually to expect a post from Europe, 



