X.] 
THE CHUKCHES ON BOARD. 
487 
from the shore to the neighbourhood of the vessel. In this a 
large skin boat was put out, which was filled brimful of men 
and women, regardless of the evident danger of navigating such 
a boat, heavily laden, through sharp, newly formed ice. They 
rowed immediately to the vessel, and on reaching it most of 
them climbed without the least hesitation over the gunwale with 
jests and laughter, and the cry anoaj anoaj (good day, good day). 
Our first meeting with the inhabitants of this region, where we 
afterwards passed ten long months, was on both sides very 
hearty, and formed the starting-^point of a very friendly relation 
between the Chukches and ourselves, which remained unaltered 
during the v/hole of our stay. 
Regard for cleanliness compelled us to allow the Chukches 
to come below deck only exceptionally, which at first annoyed 
them much, so that one of them even showed a disposition to 
retaliate by keeping us out of the bedchamber in his tent. 
Our firmness on this point, however, combined with friendliness 
and generosity, soon calmed them, and it was not so easy for 
the men to exclude us from the inner tent, for in such visits 
we always had confections and tobacco with us, both for them¬ 
selves and for the women and children. On board the vessel’s 
tent-covered deck soon became a veritable reception saloon for 
the whole population of the neighbourhood. Dog-team after 
dog-team stood all day in rows, or more correctly lay snowed up 
before the ice-built flight of steps to the deck of the Vega, 
patiently waiting for the return of the visitors, or for the 
pemmican I now and then from pity ordered to be given to the 
hungered animals. The report of the arrival of the remarkable 
foreigners must besides have spread with great rapidity. For 
we soon had visits even from distant settlements, and the Vega 
finally became a resting-place at which every passer-by stopped 
with his dog-team for some hours in order to satisfy his curiosity, 
or to obtain in exchange for good words or some more acceptable 
wares a little warm food, a bit of tobacco, and sometimes when 
