Siberia they came in contact
with this race before the middle of the seventeenth century. A
company of hunters in 1646 sailed down the Kolyma river to the Polar
Sea. East of the Kolyma they fell in with the Chukches, with whom
they dealt in this way they laid down their goods on the beach and
then retired, on which the Chukches came thither, took the goods,
and laid furs, walrus tusks, or carvings in walrus ivory, in their
place.[273] How such journeys were repeated and finally led to the
circumnavigation of the north-easternmost promontory of Asia belongs
to a following chapter.

During these journeys the Russians often came in contact with the
tribe which inhabited the north-eastern part of Asia, a contact
which in general was not of a friendly nature. The bold hunters who
contributed powerfully to the conquest of Siberia, and who even at
their own hand entered into conflicts with whole armies from the
heavenly empire, appear not to have behaved well when confronted
with the warriors of the Chukch race. Even the attempts that were
made with professional soldiers to conquer the land of the Chukches
were without result, less however, perhaps, on account of the armed
opposition which the Chukches made than from the nature of the
country and the impossibility of even a small body of troops
supporting themselves. The following may be quoted as examples of
these campaigns which throw light upon the former disposition and
mode of life of this tribe.

In 1701 some Yukagires who were tributary to Russia determined to
make an attack on the Chukches, and requested from the commandant at
Anadyrsk assistance against these enemies. A body of troops
numbering twenty-four Russians and 110 Yukagires, was accordingly
sent on a campaign along the coast from Anadyrsk to Chukotskojnos.
By the way they fell in with thirteen tents, inhabited by Chukches
who owned no reindeer. The inhabitants were required to submit and
pay tribute. This the Chukches refused to do, on which the Russians
killed most of the men and took the women and children prisoners.
The men who were not cut down killed one another, preferring death
to the loss of freedom. Some days after there was another fight with
300 Chukches, which, however, was so unfortunate for the latter that
200 are said to have fallen. The rest fled, but returned next day
with a force ten times as strong, which finally compelled the
Russo-Yukagnean troop to return with their object unaccompli