REPORT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION 



caps, shot, calico, knives, etc., told off in tempting order. But they said they 

 had none to sell, and it required half an hour of cautious negotiation to get them 

 over their suspicious alarms, and (to induce them to) consent to sell the carcass 

 of one, provided we would leave the skin, which they said they wanted to keep 

 for winter garments. 



Then two young men, fine, strapping, elastic fellows, threw off their upper 

 parkas, tied their handsomely embroidered moccasins firmly across the instep 

 and around the ankle, poised their long Russian spears, which they said they 

 always carried in case they should meet a bear or wolf, and away they sped after 

 their herd up a long, wide glacier valley along the bank of a stream, bounding 

 lightly from rock to rock in easy poise, and across soft bits of tundra and rough 

 sedgy meadows with long, heavy, undulating strides. Their gait, as far as we 

 could see, was steadily maintained and was admirably lithe and strong and 

 graceful. Their small feet and ankles and round tapered shanks showed to 

 fine advantage in their tight-fitting leggings and moccasins as they went speed- 

 ing over the ground like trained racers glorying in their strength. We watched 

 them through field-glasses until they were about three miles away, during which 

 time they did not appear to slacken their pace a single moment. They were 

 gone about three hours, so that the herd must have been at least six or seven 

 miles from the huts. 



In the meantime we ate luncheon and strolled about the neighbourhood 

 looking at the plants, at the views down the bay, and at the interior of the huts, 

 etc. We chatted with the Chukchis about their herd, about the wild sheep on 

 the mountains, the wild reindeer, bears, and wolves. We found that the family 

 consisted of father, mother, a grown daughter, and the boys that were after the 

 deer. The old folks were evidently contented and happy in their safe retreat 

 among the hills, with a sure support from their precious herd, and they were 

 proud of their red-cheeked girl and two strapping boys, as well they might be; 

 for they seemed as healthy and rosy and robust a group of children as ever glad- 

 dened the heart of Chukchi parents. The boys appeared to be part owners of 

 everything about the house, as well as of the deer, for in looking through the 

 huts we saw a few curious odds and ends that we offered to purchase, but were 

 told, in most cases, that they could not sell them until the boys came back. 



After we had watched impatiently for some time, the reindeer came in 

 sight, about a hundred and fifty of them, driven gently without any of that 

 noisy shouting and worrying that are heard in driving the domestic animals in 

 civilized countries. We left the huts and went up the stream bank about three 

 quarters of a mile to meet them, led by the owner and his wife and daughter, who 

 carried a knife and tin cup and vessels to save the blood and the entrails — which 

 stirred a train of grim associations that greatly marred the beauty of the picture. 



I was afraid from what I knew of the habits of sheep, cattle and horses 

 that a sight of strangers would stampede the herd when we met. But of this, 

 as it proved, there was not the slightest danger; for of all the familiar, tame 

 animals man has gathered about him the reindeer is the tamest. They can 

 hardly be said to be domesticated, since they are not shut in around the huts, 

 or put under shelter either winter or summer. On they came, while we gazed 

 eagerly at the novel sight — a thicket of antlers, big and little, old and young, 

 led by the strongest, holding their heads low most of the time, as if conscious of 

 that fact that they were carrying very big, branching horns. A straggler fell 

 behind now and then to cull a choice mouthful of willow or dainty gray lichen, 

 then made haste to join the herd again. 



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