BRUZEWITZ’S EXCURSION TO NAJTSKAJ. 
9 
XL] 
lamps was extinguished, after which all slept. During the night 
the girl complained several times, when one of the brothers 
always rose and attended to her. At six in the morning I 
wakened the party and reminded them of our journey. All 
rose immediately. Dressing proceeded slowly, because much 
attention was given to the foot covering. No food was produced, 
but all appeared quite pleased when 1 gave them of my stock, 
which consisted of bread and some preserved beef-steaks. Imme¬ 
diately after breakfast four dogs were harnessed to the sleigh, with 
which Notti and I continued our journey to Najtskaj, I riding 
and he running alongside the sleigh. At Irgunnuk, a Chukch 
village about an English mile east of Rirajtinop, a short 
stay was made in order to try to borrow some dogs, but without 
success. We continued our journey along the shore, and at 
10 o’clock A.M. arrived at Najtskaj, which is from fifteen to eigh¬ 
teen kilometres E.S.E. from Irgunnuk. Here we were received 
by most of our former neighbours, the inhabitants of Pitlekaj. 
Of the thirteen tents of the village the five western¬ 
most were occupied by the former population of Pitlekaj, 
while the eight lying more to the eastward were inhabited by 
other Chukches. The Pitlekaj people had not pitched their 
common large tents, but such as were of inconsiderable size or 
small ones fastened close together. In all the tents here, as at 
Rirajtinop and Irgunnuk, there was much blubber laid up; we 
saw pieces of seal and whole seals piled up before the tents, 
and on the way to Najtskaj we met several sledges loaded with 
seals, on their way to Pidlin. At Najtskaj I went out hunting 
accompanied by a Chukch. We started eight hares, but did 
not succeed in getting within range of them. A red fox was 
seen at a great distance but neither ptarmigan nor traces of 
them could be discovered. At two in the afternoon I returned 
to Irgunnuk and there got another sleigh drawn by ten dogs, 
with which I soon reached the vessel.” 
On the 20th February three large Chukch sledges laden with 
goods and drawn by sixteen to twenty dogs stopped at the Vega. 
They said they came from the eastward, and were on 
their way to the market in the neighbourhood of Nischni 
Kolymsk. I again by way of experiment sent with them home- 
letters, for which, as they declined to take money, I gave them as 
postage three bottles of rum and abundant entertainment for 
