THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 



fuel is placed Ijehind the bridge, and the oil runs through the 

 cleft and around the edges to the base of the wick. The entire 

 lamp is placed in a tray to catch the drippings. 



When fire other than that of the lamps is used, it is built in 

 the outer tent between the inner room and the door. 



Cooking is almost always done by boiling in kettles. For- 

 merly these w^ere of clay, but now they are made of copper or 

 iron obtained from traders. Hooks of wood and antler are used 

 to suspend the kettles over the fire. 



One of the most important sets of kitchen implements is that 

 for crushing bones to extract marrow and oil. The same imple- 

 ments are used for crushing frozen meat, fish and blubber. The 

 set consists of stone mauls and accessories, as shown in the col- 

 lection. 



Trays, dishes, bowls, dippers, etc., usually are made of wood. 

 Spoons, which were formerly unknown, now are made of wood, 

 horn, bone or ivory, or even of metal rudely bent into shape. 

 Ladles of reindeer antler are used for dipping meat from the 

 kettles. At present much cheap metal ware and crockery is 

 obtained from traders. When broken, these utensils are cleverly 

 mended by the natives. A Chukchee traveler always carries 

 with him his own teacup and saucer in a closely-fitting wooden 

 case. 



The principal food of the people is the flesh of reindeer and 

 sea-animals, the latter being especially relished on account of 

 the fat. Blood is also much eaten, either fresh, mixed with herbs 

 or dried meat, or preserved in bags. It is frozen in winter and 

 fermented in summer. A gruel made of moss is much liked, as 

 well as many varieties of edible roots. 



Of drinks, tea is the most important, and its use has spread 

 everywhere. Chinese or Japanese brick-tea is the common form 

 in which it is obtained from traders. Practically the only native 

 intoxicant is fly agaric {Agaric iis nmscarhis), which is dried and 

 eaten, producing an intoxication much like that of hashish. 

 Alcohol is indulged in whenever it can be obtained from merchants 

 or whalers. 



Tobacco is smoked and chewed, whenever obtainable. 



36 



