nning alongside the sleigh. At Irgunnuk, a
Chukch village about an English mile east of Rirajtinop, a
short stay was made in order to try to borrow some dogs,
but without success. We continued our journey along the
shore, and at 10 o'clock A.M. arrived at Najtskaj, which
is from fifteen to eighteen kilometres E.S.E. from
Irgunnuk. Here we were received by most of our former
neighbours, the inhabitants of Pitlekaj. Of the thirteen
tents of the village the five westernmost were occupied by
the former population of Pitlekaj, while the eight lying
more to the eastward were inhabited by other Chukches. The
Pitlekaj people had not pitched their common large tents,
but such as were of inconsiderable size or small ones
fastened close together. In all the tents here, as at
Rirajtinop and Irgunnuk, there was much blubber laid up,
we saw pieces of seal and whole seals piled up before the
tents, and on the way to Najtskaj we met several sledges
loaded with seals, on their way to Pidlin. At Najtskaj I
went out hunting accompanied by a Chukch. We started eight
hares, but did not succeed in getting within range of
them. A red fox was seen at a great distance but neither
ptarmigan nor traces of them could be discovered. At two
in the afternoon I returned to Irgunnuk and there got
another sleigh drawn by ten dogs, with which I soon
reached the vessel."

[Illustration: NOTTI AND HIS WIFE AITANGA. (After photographs by L.
Palander.) ]

On the 20th February three large Chukch sledges laden with goods and
drawn by sixteen to twenty dogs stopped at the _Vega_. They said
they came from the eastward, and were on their way to the market in
the neighbourhood of Nischni Kolymsk. I again by way of experiment
sent with them home-letters, for which, as they declined to take
money, I gave them as postage three bottles of rum and abundant
entertainment for men and dogs. In consideration of this payment
they bound themselves faithfully to execute their commission and
promised to return in May. And they kept then word. For on the 8th
and 9th May a large number of sledges heavily laden with reindeer
skins and drawn by many dogs, passed along the coast from west to
east. Of course all rested at the _Vega_, the only house of
entertainment on the coast of the Asiatic Polar Sea, considering it
as a matter of indisputable right, that they should in return for