he 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.

We had no opportunity of witnessing any burial or marriage. It
appears as if the Chukches sometimes burn their dead, sometimes
expose them on the _tundra_ as food for beasts of prey, with
weapons, sledges, and household articles. They have perhaps begun to
abandon the old custom of burning the dead, since the hunting has
fallen off so that the supply of blubber for burning has diminished.
I have before described the pits filled with burned bones which Dr.
Stuxberg found on the 9th September, 1878, by the bank of a dried-up
rivulet. We took them for graves, but not having seen any more at