The “Vega” firing a Salute at Cape Tcheliuskin, the Most Northern Point of the Old World.
A heap of stones, called a cairn, was erected on shore as a memorial, and soon the two vessels started again on their journey eastward. When the mouth of the Lena river was reached, the ship Lena headed toward it and, after exploring the river, returned home.
After parting from the Lena, the Vega continued her voyage to the New Siberian islands and thence along the coast of Asia, nearly to Bering strait. When within a day’s journey of the strait, the Vega was beset in the ice; and, much to Nordenskjöld’s regret, he was obliged to pass the winter at the very entrance to the Pacific ocean. Had he been a few hours earlier, he might have forced his way through the ice and completed the northeast passage in 1878. But in that case we should never have known all the interesting facts which he has told us about the strange people who inhabit the northeastern peninsula of Asia.
These people are a Siberian tribe, called Tchuktches.[3] There are two divisions of the tribe, the reindeer Tchuktches and the coast Tchuktches. The former own herds of reindeer, and travel about, pitching their tents wherever the pasture is good. They also trade in skins, hides, furs, and whalebones with the most northern Indian tribes of America and with the Russian fur dealers, often making long journeys for this purpose. The coast Tchuktches live along the shore, and hunt and fish for their living.
[3] Pronounced Chookʹ chez.
The reindeer Tchuktches were encamped near the Vega’s winter quarters. As soon as these people saw a strange ship anchored off the coast, they launched a large skin boat very skillfully, and men, women, and children jumped in and rowed through the thin, newly formed ice to the vessel. They climbed aboard and seemed as pleased to see the white men as if they had been old friends. The deck of the Vega became a reception room, for not a day passed without a visit from the natives.
Tchuktche and Reindeer.
The Tchuktches are a strong, hardy race, but very lazy. Nothing but want of food induces them to work. Many are tall, with brown skin and raven-black hair, and a large nose like that of our North American Indians. Some have high cheek bones and slanting eyes, like the Mongolian race. They live in tents, which are made double to insure warmth during the winter. The inner tent is the sleeping room. The framework is of wood, and over this are spread thick reindeer skins. The floor is a walrus skin, and at night extra reindeer skins are thrown down like a carpet. The inner tent is heated by three train-oil lamps, which, together with the heat from the bodies of the many human beings who are packed in this small space, raise the temperature in the tent to such a degree that even in the most severe weather, the natives strip off all their clothing. In the winter they live, cook, and work in the inner tent; the outer tent, used in summer, is built around the inner tent. The skins of the outer tent are older and thinner than those of the inner one.
The Tchuktche women work very hard. They take care of the children, cook, sew, and keep the tent in order. They receive the game and cut it up, in winter in the tent and in summer on the beach. They help with the fishing; they tan the hides and prepare thread from the sinews. The men provide the food, which they obtain by fishing, hunting, and trading. But in and around the tent they do nothing but put their hunting tools in order, or play with the children.