430 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
habitations, if I except the old uninhabited hut beWeen Cape 
Chelyuskin and the Chatanga. But on the 6th September, 
when we were a little way off Cape Chelagskoj, two boats were 
sighted. Every man, with the exception of the cook, who 
could be induced by no catastrophe to leave his pots and pans, 
and who had circumnavigated Asia and Europe perhaps without 
having been once on land, rushed on deck. The boats were of 
skin, built in the same way as the “ umiaks ” or women’s boats 
of the Eskimo. They were fully laden with laughing and 
CHUKCH BOATS. 
chattering natives, men, women, and children, who indicated 
by cries and gesticulations that they wished to come on board. 
The engine was stopped, the boats lay to, and a large number 
of skin-clad, bare-headed beings climbed up over the gunwale in 
a way that clearly indicated that they had seen vessels before. 
A lively talk began, but we soon became aware that none of the 
crew of the boats or the vessel knew any language common to 
both. It was an unfortunate circumstance, but signs were 
