484 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [chap. 



winter, in consequence of the difficulty of melting over the 

 train-oil lamps a sufficient -quantity of snow, to quench their 

 thirst with snow. On board they often asked for water, and 

 drank at once large quantities of it. 



Spirits, to which they are exceedingly addicted, they ' call, 

 as has been already stated, in conversation with Europeans, 

 " ram," the pronouncing of the word being often accompanied 

 by a hawking noise, a happy expression, and a distinctive ges- 

 ture, which consisted in carrying the open right hand from the 

 mouth to the waist, or in counterfeiting the unintelligible talk 

 of a drunken man. Among themselves they call ii^ fire-water 

 (aJcmimil) . The promise of it was the most efficient means of 

 getting an obstinate Chukch to comply with one's wishes. In 

 case they undertook to drive us with their dog-teams, they were 

 never desirous of finding out whether any stock of provisions 

 was taken along, but warned by our parsimony in dealing out 

 spirituous liquor, they were unwilling to start until they had ex- 

 amined the stock of " ram." That drunkenness, not the satisfying 

 of the taste, was in this case the main object, is shown by the 

 circumstance that they often fixed, as price for the articles they 

 saw we were anxious to have, such a quantity of brandy as 

 would make them completely intoxicated. When on one oc- 

 casion I appeared very desirous of purchasing a fire-drill, which 

 was found in a tent inhabited by a newly-wedded pair, the 

 young and very pretty housewife undertook the negotiation, 

 and immediately began by declaring that her husband could not 

 part with the fire-producing implement unless I gave him the 

 means of getting quite drunk, for which, according to her 

 statement, which was illustrated by lively gesticulations repre- 

 senting the different degrees of intoxication, eight glasses were 

 required. Not until the man had got so many would he be 

 content, that is, dead drunk. I have myself observed, however, 

 on several occasions that two small glasses are sufficient to make 

 them unsteady on the legs. Under the influence of liquor they 

 are cheerful, merry, and friendly, but troublesome by their ex- 

 cessive caressing. When in the company of intoxicated natives, 

 one must take good care that he does not unexpectedly get a 

 kiss from some old greasy seal-hunter. Even the women readily 

 took a glass, though evidently less addicted to intoxicants than 

 the men. They however got their share, as did even the 

 youngest of the children. When, as happened twice in the 

 course of the winter, an encampment was fortunate enough to 

 get a large stock of brandy sent it from Behring's Straits,' the 

 intoxication was general, and, as I have already stated, the 

 bluish-yellow eyes the next day showed that quarrelsomeness 

 had been called forth even among this peace-loving people by 

 their dear ahnimil. During our stay at the villages nearer 



