XI.] 
CHURCH TKAFFIC. 
15 
tliere. In tlie commercial relations in north-eastern Asia in the 
beginning of this century, we have probably a faithful picture 
of the commerce of the Beormas in former days in north¬ 
eastern Europe. Even the goods were probably of the same 
sort at both places, perhaps, also, the stand-points of the culture 
of the two races. 
Besides the traders, a large number of Chukches from Kol- 
yutschin Island and other villages to the west, travelled past us 
with empty sledges, to which were harnessed only a few dogs. 
They returned in the course of a few days with their sledges 
fully laden with fish which they said they had caught in a 
lagoon situated to the eastward. They also sometimes sold a 
delicious variety of the Coregonus taken in a lake in the 
interior some distance from the coast. 
Further on in winter a number of excursions were under¬ 
taken in different directions, partly to find out these fishing 
places, partly to get an idea of the mode of life of the reindeer 
Chukches. I, however, never ventured to give permission for 
any long absence from the vessel, because I was quite convinced 
that the sea round tlie Vega after a few days’ constant southerly 
storm might become open under circumstances which would not 
permit us to remain in the open road where we lay moored; 
my comrades’ desire to penetrate far into the Chukch peninsula 
could not on that account be satisfied. But short as these 
excursions were, they give us, however, much information re¬ 
garding our winter life, and our contact with the little-known 
tribe, on the coast of whose homeland the Vega had been beset, 
and on that account, perhaps, there may be reasons for making 
extracts from some of the reports given in to me with reference 
to these journeys. 
Palanders and Kjellmans exeicrsion to a reindeer Chukch camp 
south-west of Pitlekaj, is sketched by the former thus:—■ 
“On the 17th March, 1879, accompanied by l)r. Kjelhnan, I 
went out with a sledge and five men, among them a native as 
