Xtl.] 
THE CHURCH TENT. 
91 
and the stones were completely overgrown with lichens on the 
upper side. I estimate the age of these graves at about two 
hundred years.” 
The Chukches do not dwell in snow huts, nor in wooden 
houses, because wood for building is not to be found in the 
country of the coast Chukches, and because wooden houses are 
unsuitable for the reindeer nomad. They live summer and 
winter in tents of a peculiar construction, not used by any other 
race. For in order to afford protection from the cold the tent is 
double ; the outer envelope inclosing an inner tent or sleeping 
chamber. This has the form of a parallelopiped, about 3'5 
metres long, 2'2 metres broad, and 1'8 metre high. It is sur¬ 
rounded by thick, warm, reindeer skins, and is further covered 
with a layer of grass. The floor consists of a walrus skin 
stretched over a foundation of twigs and straw. At night the 
floor is covered with a carpet of reindeer skins, which is taken 
away during the day. The rooms at the sides of the inner tent 
are also shut off by curtains, and serve as pantries. The inner tent 
is warmed by three train-oil lamps, which together with the heat 
given off by the numerous human beings packed together in the 
tent, raise the temperature to such a height that the inhabitants 
even during the severest winter cold may be completely naked. 
The work of the women and the cooking are carried on in winter in 
this tent-chamber, very often also the calls of nature are obeyed 
in it. All this conduces to make the atmosphere prevailing there 
unendurable. There are also, however, cleanlier families, in 
whose sleeping chamber the air is not so disgusting. 
In summer they live during the day, and cook and work, in 
the outer tent. This consists of seal and walrus skins sewed 
together, which however are generally so old, hairless, and full 
of holes, that they appear to have been used by several genera¬ 
tions. The skins of the outer tent are stretched over wooden 
ribs, which are carefully bound together by thongs of skin. 
The ribs rest partly on posts, partly on tripods of driftwood. 
