XII.] CHUKCH DOGS. 471 



To tlie dogs of Cliukches they soon took the same superior 

 standing as the European claims for himself in relation to the 

 savage. The dog was distinctly preferred by the female Chukch 

 canine population, 'and that too without the fights to which 

 such favour on the part of the fair commonly gives rise. A 

 numerous canine progeny of mixed Scotch-Chukch breed has 

 thus arisen at Pitlekaj. The young dogs had a complete 

 resemblance to their father, and the natives were quite charmed 

 with them. 



When a dog is to be killed the Chukch stabs it with his 

 spear, and then lets it bleed to death. Even when the scarcity 

 was so great that the natives at Pitlekaj and Yinretlen lived 

 mainly on the food we gave them, they did not eat the dogs 

 they killed. On the other hand they had no objection to eating 

 a shot crow. 



When the Chukch goes out on the ice to hunt seals he takes 

 his dogs with him, and it is these which take home the catch, 

 commonly with the draught-line fastened directly to the head 

 of the killed seal, which is then turned on its back and dragged 

 over the ice without anything under it. One of the inhabi- 

 tants of Yinretlen returned from the open water off the coast 

 after a successful hunting expedition with five seals, of which 

 the smallest was laid on the sledge, the others being fastened 

 one behind the other in a long row. After the last was drawn 

 a long pole, which was used in setting the net. 



The dress of the Chukches is made of reindeer or seal-skin. 

 The former, because it is warmer, is preferred as material for 

 the winter dress. The men in winter are clad in two pcsks ; 

 that which is worn next the body is of thin skin with the hair 

 inwards, the outer is of thick skin with the hair outwards. 

 Besides, they wear, when it rains or wet snow falls, a great coat 

 of gut or of cotton cloth, which they call calico. On one oc- 

 casion I saw such an overcoat made of a kind of reindeer- 

 chamois leather, which was of excellent quality and evidently 

 of home manufacture. It had been originally white, but was or- 

 namented with broad brown painted borders. Some red and blue 

 woollen shirts which we gave them were also worn above the 

 skin clothes, and by their showy colours awakened great satisfac- 

 tion in the owners. The Chukch j^^sk is shorter than the Lapp 

 one. It does not reach quite to the knees, and is confined at 

 the waist with a belt. Under the pesZ; are worn two pairs of 

 trousers, the inner pair with the hair inwards, and the outer with 

 the hair outwards. The trousers are well made, close fitting, and 

 terminate above the foot. The foot-covering consists of reindeer 

 or seal-skin moccasins, which above the foot are fastened to 

 the trousers in the way conmion among the Lapps. The soles 

 are of walrus-skin or bear-skin, and have the hair side inwards. 



