THE TCHUKTCHI. 



263 



The rulers of Siberia Iiave indeed confined the Tchuktclii within narrow 

 limits, but here at least they obey no foreign ruler, and wander, unmolested 

 by tlie stranger, Avith their numerous reindeer herds, over the naked tundras. 

 A natural distrust of their powerful neighbors has rendered them long unwil- 

 iins" to enter into any commercial intercourse with the Russians, and to meet 

 them at the fair of Ostrownoje, a small town, situated not far fj-oni their fron- 

 tiers, on a small island of the Aniuj, in 68° N. hit. 



This remotest trading-place of the Old World is not so unimportant as 

 miglit be supposed, from the sterile nature of the country, for the Tchuktchi 

 are not satisfied, like the indolent Lapps or Samoiedes, with the produce of 

 their reindeer herds, but strive to increase their enjoyments or cheir property 

 by an active trade. From the East Cape of Asia, where, crossing Bering's 

 Straits in boats covered with skins, they barter furs and Avalrus-teeth from the 

 natives of America, the Tchuktchi come with their goods and tents di'awn on 



TCHUKTCHI CANOE. 



sledges to the fair of Ostrownoje. Other sledges laden with lichens, the food 

 of the reindeer, follow in their train, as in their wanderings, however circuitous, 

 they not seldom pass through regions so stony and desert as not even to afford 

 these frugal animals the slightest repast. Thus regulating their movements 

 by the wants of their herds, they require five or six months for a journey 

 which, in a direct line, would not be much longer than a thousand versts, and 

 are almost constantly wandering from place to place, though, as they always 

 carry their dwellings along with them, they at the same time never leave home. 

 One of these snail-like caravans generally consists of fifty or sixty families, and 

 one fair is scarcely at an end when they set off to make their arrangements for 

 the next. 



Tobacco is the primum mobile of the trade w^hich centres in Ostrownoje. 

 Their pipes are of a peculiar character, larger at the stem than the bowl, v/hicli 

 holds a very small quantity of tobacco. In smoking, they swallow the fumes 

 of the tobacco, and often, after six or eight whiffs, fall back completely intoxi- 



