M.] 



CHURCH LAMPS. 



413 



We entered a tent, which belonged to a friend or perhaps 

 relation of Notti. There we were very well received. In the 

 same tent the reindeer-Chukch also lodged who had given us his 

 company on the way. He went into the sleeping chamber, threw 

 himself down there, took part in the family's evening meal, all 

 almost without uttering a word to the hostess, and the next morn- 

 ing he started without having saluted the host. Hospitality is here 

 of a peculiar kind. It may perhaps be expressed thus : To-day I 

 eat and deep in your tent, to-morrow yon eat and sleep in mine ; 

 and accordingly, as far as I saw, all, both rich and poor, both those 

 who travelled with large sledges, and those who walked on foot, 

 were received in the same way. All are sure to find a corner in 

 the tent-chamber. 



" The tent-chamber, or yaranga, as this part of the tent is 

 called by the natives, takes up fully a third-part of the whole 

 tent, and is at the same time work-room, dining-room, and 

 sleeping chamber. Its form is that of a parallelepiped ; and a 



CHLIKCH LAMPS. 



o. Wooden cup to place under the lamp. 7i. Lamp of burned clay. 

 One-fifth of the natural size. 



moderately large sleeping chamber has a height of 1'80 metre, 

 a length of 3"50, and a breadth of 2*20 metres. The walls are 

 formed of reindeer skin with the hair inwards, which are 

 supported by a framework of posts and cross-bars. The floor 

 consists of a layer of grass undermost, on which a walrus skin is 

 spread. The grass and the skin do not form a very soft bed, 

 yet one on which even a tired European wanderer may find 

 rest. The interior of the sleeping-chamber is lighted and 

 warmed by lamps, whose number varies according to the size of 

 the room. A moderately large chamber has three lamps, the 

 largest right opposite the entrance, the two others on the cross 

 walls. The lamps are often made of a sort of stone, which is 

 called by the natives ukulschi. They have the form of a large 

 ladle. The fuel consists of train-oil, and moss is used for the 

 wick. These lamps besides require constant attention, because 

 half-an-hour's neglect is sufficient to make them smoke or go 



