A NATURALIST'S ADVEN1URES 



which the natives were trying to kill with stones, men, 

 women and children engaging in the sport. Captain Her- 

 endeen shot several marmots with his rifle. We had them 

 for dinner and they were very good. The wagtail that I 

 shot to-day was evidently adult and much better than those 

 I killed yesterday. 



At i.io P. M. we got anchor and left Port Providence 

 for Bering Strait. I saw red snow abreast our anchorage 

 before leaving. The sea is smooth now. 



Sunday, August 15 



Calm all day but no swell until after tea; clear and 

 pleasant. Great flocks of phalaropes have been near us 

 off Cape Tchaplin or Indian Point. Captain Herendeen 

 shot a dozen of them. Seal, humpback and finback whales 

 were common. Rodgers' fulmar is abundant. 



A bidarra load of natives came off from Indian Point in 

 the morning and loafed around until the middle of the 

 afternoon. One of them, the chief, had a nicely made 

 pipe of wood, inlaid with lead and having a lead rim; brass 

 chains, and various charms attached to it. He first put 

 into the pipe, which was of very small caliber, a little wad 

 of reindeer hair, to prevent the tobacco from being drawn 

 through the stem, then put in a very little black tobacco 

 and inhaled the smoke, retained it in the lungs a short 

 time, and slowly exhaled it. This was done just once and 

 the quantity of tobacco used was very small. This chief 

 had a parka of tame reindeer, a very pretty piebald skin. 

 One of the men had a doubled string of small white beads 

 in each ear. Hair seal pantaloons and sealskin boots were 

 general. These fellows are tall and athletic in appearance, 

 with something of the Indian in their countenances, though 

 less repulsive. They call themselves " Innuit." 



Monday, August 16 

 Twilight lasts until very late and there are but a few 

 hours of night, for we are now not far south of the Arctic 

 Circle. 



Tuesday, August 17 

 We have made but little progress to-day owing to light 

 wind, not fair, and choppy sea. Considerable floating ice 



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