XII.] 
SPIKITS AN AETICLE OF COMMERCE. 
115 
are cheerful, merry, and friendly, but troublesome by their ex¬ 
cessive caressing. When in the company of intoxicated natives, 
one must take good care that he does not unexpectedly get a 
kiss from some old greasy seal-hunter. Even the women readily 
took a glass, though evidently less addicted to intoxicants than 
the men. They however got their share, as did even the 
youngest of the children. When, as happened twice in the 
course of the winter, an encampment was fortunate enough to 
get a large stock of brandy sent it from Behring’s Straits, the 
intoxication was general, and, as I have already stated, the 
bluish-yellow eyes the next day showed that quarrelsomeness 
had been called forth even among this peace-loving people by 
their dear ahmimil. During our stay at the villages nearer 
Behring’s Straits two murders even took place, of which one at 
least was committed by an intoxicated man. 
However slight the contact the Chukches have with the 
world that has reached the standpoint of the brandy industry is, 
this means of enjoyment, however, appears to be the object of 
regular barter. Many of the Chukches who travelled past us 
were intoxicated, and shook with pride a not quite empty keg 
or seal-skin sack, to let us hear by the dashing that it con¬ 
tained liquid. One of the crew, whom I asked to ascertain 
what sort of spirit it was, made friends with the owner, and 
induced him at last to part with about a thimbleful of it; more 
could not be given. According to the sailor’s statement it was 
without colour and flavour, clear as crystal, but weak. It was 
thus probably Russian corn brandy, not gin. 
During a visit which Lieutenants Hovgaard and Nordquist 
made in the autumn of 1878 to the reindeer-Chukches in the 
interior of the country, much diluted American gin was on the 
contrary presented, and the tent-owner showed his guests a 
tin drinking-cup with the inscription, “ Capt. Ravens, Brig 
Timandra, 1878.” Some of the natives stated distinctly that 
they could purchase brandy at Behring’s Straits all the year 
I 2 
