Page:The frozen North; an account of Arctic exploration for use in schools (IA frozennorthaccou00hort).pdf/81

 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. 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.

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