We were unable during the voyage of the Vega to obtain any data for estimating the number of the reindeer-Chukches. But the number of the coast Chukches may be arrived at in the following way. Lieutenant Nordquist collected from the numerous foremen who rested at the Vega information as to the names of the encampments which are to be found at present on the coast between Chaun Bay and Behring's Straits, and the number of tents at each village. He thus ascertained that the number of the tents in the coast villages amounts to about 400. The number of inhabitants in every tent may be, according to our experience, averaged at five. The population on the line of coast in question may thus amount to about 2,000, at most to 2,500, men, women, and children. The number of the reindeer-Chukches appears to be about the same. The whole population of Chukch Land may thus now amount to 4,000 or 5,000 persons. The Cossack Popov already mentioned, reckoned in 1711 that all the Chukches, both reindeer-owning and those with fixed dwellings, numbered 2,000 persons. Thus during the last two centuries, if these estimates are correct, this Polar race has doubled its numbers.
In order to give the reader an idea of the language of the Chukches, I have in a preceding chapter given an extract from the large vocabulary which Nordquist has collected. There appear to be no dialects differing very much from each other. Whether foreign words borrowed from other Asiatic languages have been adopted in Chukch we have not been able to make out. It is certain that no Russian words are used. The language strikes me as articulate and euphonious. It is nearly allied to the Koryäk, but so different from other, both East-Asiatic and American, tongues, that philologists have not yet succeeded in clearing up the relationship of the Chukches to other races.
Like most other Polar tribes, the Chukches now do not belong to any unmixed race. This one is soon convinced of, if he considers attentively the inhabitants of a large tent-village. Some are tall, with tallowlike, raven-black hair, brown complexion, high aquiline nose—in short, with an exterior that reminds us of the descriptions we read of the North American Indians. Others again by their dark hair, slight beard, sunk nose or rather projecting cheek-bones and oblique eyes, remind us distinctly of the Mongolian race, and finally we meet among them with very fair faces, with features and complexion which lead us to suspect that they are descendants of runaways or prisoners of war of purely Russian origin. The most common type is—straight, coarse, black hair of moderate length, the brow tapering upwards, the nose finely formed, but with its root often flattened eyes by no means small, well-developed black eyebrows, projecting cheeks often swollen by frostbite, which is specially observable when the face is looked at from the side, light, slightly brown complexion, which in the young women is often nearly as red and white as in Europeans. The beard is
always scanty. Nearly all are stout and well grown, we saw no cripples among them. The young women often strike one as very pretty if one can rid oneself of the unpleasant impression of the dirt, which is never washed away but by the drifting snow of winter, and of the nauseous train-oil odour which in winter they carry with them from the close tent-chamber. The children nearly always make a pleasant impression by their healthy appearance, and their friendly and becoming behaviour.
The Chukches are a hardy race, but exceedingly indolent when want of food does not force them to exertion. The men during their hunting excursions pass whole days in a cold of -30° to -40° out upon the ice, without protection and without carrying with them food or fuel. In such cases they slake their thirst with snow, and assuage their hunger, if they have been successful in hunting, with the blood and flesh of the animals they have killed. Women nearly naked often during severe cold leave for a while the inner tent, or tent-chamber, where the train-oil lamp maintains a heat that is at times oppressive. A foreigner's visit induces the completely naked children to half creep out from under the curtain of reindeer skin which separates the sleeping chamber from the exterior tent, in which, as it is not heated, the temperature is generally little higher than that of the air outside. In this temperature the mothers do not hesitate to show their naked children, one or two years of age, to visitors for some moments.
Diseases are notwithstanding uncommon, with the exception that in autumn, before the severe cold commences, nearly all suffer from a cough and cold. Very bad skin eruptions and sores also occur so frequently that a stay in the inner tent is thereby commonly rendered disgusting to Europeans. Some of the sores however are merely frostbites, which most Chukches bring on themselves by the carelessness with which during high winds they expose the bare neck, breast and wrists to the lowest temperature. When frostbite has happened it is treated, even though of considerable extent, with extreme carelessness. They endeavour merely to thaw the frozen place as fast as possible partly by chafing, partly by heating. On the other hand we never saw anyone who had had a deep frostbite on the hands or feet, a circumstance which must be ascribed to the serviceable nature of their shoes and gloves. From the beginning of October 1878 to the middle of July 1879 no death appears to have happened at any of the encampments near us. During the same time the number of the inhabitants was increased by two or three births. During the wife's pregnancy the husband was very affectionate to her, gave her his constant company in the tent, kissed and fondled her frequently in the presence of strangers, and appeared to take a pride in showing her to visitors.