404 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [chap. 



hindrance, since two of us were now somewhat at home in the 

 Chukch language. For if I except two men, Menka and Noah 

 Elisej, who could talk exceedingly defective Russian, there was 

 not one of the reindeer or dog-foremen travelling past who could 

 speak any European language, and notwithstanding this they 

 all carry on an active commerce with the Russians. But the 

 Chukch is proud enough to require that his own language shall 

 prevail in all international commerce in the north-east of Asia, 

 and his neighbours find their advantage in this. 



During the course of the winter, Lieutenant Nordquist 

 collected from the Chukch foremen coming from a distance who 

 travelled past, information regarding the state of the ice between 

 Chaun Bay and Behring's Straits at different seasons of the year. 

 Considering the immense importance of the question, even in 

 a purely practical point of view, I shall quote verbatim the 

 statements which he thus collected. 



Statements regarding the state of the ice on the coast hetioeen 

 Ca^Je Yahan and Behring's Straits hy Chuhches living there. 



"1. A Chukch from Yekanenmitschikan, near Cape Yakan, 

 said that it is usual for open water to be there the whole 

 summer. 



" 2. A Chukch from Kinmankau, which lies a little to the west 

 of Cape Yakan, said the same. 



" 3. A Chukch from Yakan stated that the sea there becomes 

 free of ice in the end of May or beginning of June. On the 

 other hand it is never open in winter. 



" 4. Tatan from Yakan stated that the sea there is open from 

 the end of May or beginning of June to the latter part of 

 September or beginning of October, when the ice begins to drift 

 towards the land. 



" 5. Rikkion from Vankarema said that the sea there is covered 

 with ice in winter, but open in summer. 



" 6. A reindeer Chukch, Rotschitlen, who lives about twelve 

 English miles from the Vega's winter quarters, said that 

 Kolyutschin Bay, by the Chukches called Pidlin, is clear of ice 

 the whole summer. 



" 7. Urtridlin from Kolyutschin said that neither at that island 

 nor in Kolyutschin Bay is there any ice in summer. 



" 8. Ranau, from Yinretlen, also said that Kolyutschin Bay is 

 always open in summer. 



" 9. Ettiu, from the village Nettej, between Irgunnuk and 

 Behring's Straits, stated that the sea at Nettej is open in 

 summer, independently of the wind, in winter only when the 

 wind is southerly. 



"10. Vankatte, from Nettej, stated that the sea there becomes 

 open during the month " Tautinyadlin," that is, the latter part 



