VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE (1881) 165 



took down the rifle and was moving to the door when 

 it opened, and at the entrance stood a man. Seeing 

 Nindemann with the rifle, he expected to be shot, and 

 immediately fell on his knees and began to supplicate. 

 Nindemann threw the rifle down and beckoned eagerly 

 to the man to come in. After some hesitation, the 

 stranger entered, and the two men, anxious to be friendly, 

 offered him some of the fish. He shook his head, and 

 made signs that it was not fit to eat. Nindemann and 

 Noros went out, and found that the man had come in a 

 sleigh with reindeer ; but there was nothing to eat. He 

 gave Nindemann a pair of deer-skin boots and a deer-skin, 

 and in return Nindemann gave him a shirt. The man 

 made signs that he would require to go, and held up three 

 or four finders to indicate that he would return. Whether 

 he meant in three or four hours, or three or four days, 

 they could not tell. 



About 6 p.m. the man returned with two others, and 

 brought a frozen fish which he skinned and sliced. They 

 also brought some deer-skin coats and boots for them, and 

 then made signs that Nindemann and Noros were to go 

 with them. The latter made various attempts to make 

 the natives understand the critical condition of De Long 

 and party, but utterly failed. Putting Nindemann and 

 Noros into the sleighs, they drove off' with them along 

 the river to the westwards. They kept on their drive 

 for about 15 miles, when they came to a couple of 

 deer-skin tents. Here Nindemann and his companion 

 received boiled venison. The natives numbered seven 

 men and three women. One of the women gave 

 Nindemann water in order that he might wash, but as 

 he found himself unable to use it, she took pity on him and 

 washed his face. Again attempts were made to make 

 the natives understand about the party, but it was 

 impossible to say how far they were understood. Next day 



