486 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
average it may perhaps be put at five or six persons. Including 
the inhabitants of Kolyutschin Island, there thus lived about 
300 natives in the neighbourhood of our winter quarters. 
When we were beset, the ice next the shore, as has been 
already stated, was too weak to carry a foot passenger, and the 
difficulty of reaching the vessel from the land with the means 
which the Chukches had at their disposal was thus very great. 
When the natives observed us, there was in any case im¬ 
mediately a great commotion among them. Men, women. 
KAUTLJKAU, A CHUKCH GIRL FROM IRGUNNUK. 
Front face and Profile. 
(After photographs by L. Palander.) 
children, and dogs were seen running up and down the beach 
in eager confusion; some were seen driving in dog-sledges 
on the ice street next the sea. They evidently feared that the 
splendid opportunity which here lay before them of purchasing 
brandy and tobacco, would be lost. From the vessel we could 
see with glasses how several attempts were made to put out 
boats, but they were again given up, until at last a boat was got 
to a lane, clear of ice or only covered with a thin sheet, that ran 
