ken quarrel.

Sledges of considerable size, drawn by reindeer, began after the
middle of March to pass the _Vega_ in pretty large numbers. They
were laden with reindeer skins and goods bought at the Russian
market-places, and intended for barter at Behring's Straits.

The reindeer Chukches are better clothed, and appear to be in better
circumstances and more independent than the coast Chukches, or, as
they ought to be called in correspondence with the former name, the
dog Chukches. As every one owns a reindeer herd, all must follow the
nomad mode of living, but at the same time they carry on traffic
between the savages in the northernmost parts of America and the
Russian fur-dealers in Siberia, and many pass their whole lives in
commercial journeys. The principal market is held annually during
the mouth of March, on an island in the river Little Anjui, 250
versts from Nischni Kolymsk. The barter goes on in accordance with a
normal price-list, mutually agreed upon by the Russian merchants and
the oldest of the Chukches. The market is inaugurated on the part of
the Russians by a mass performed by the priest,[260] who always
accompanies the Russian crown commissioner, and in the Chukches'
camp with buffoonery by one of the Chukch Shamans. At such a market
there is said to be considerable confusion, to judge by the spirited
description which Wrangel gives of it (_Reise_, i. p. 269).
We ought, however, to remember that this description refers to the
customs that prevailed sixty years ago. Now, perhaps, there is a
great change there. In the commercial relations in north-eastern
Asia in the beginning of this century, we have probably a faithful
picture of the commerce of the Beormas in former days in
north-eastern Europe. Even the goods were probably of the same sort
at both places, perhaps, also, the stand-points of the culture of
the two races.

Besides the traders, a large number of Chukches from Kolyutschin
Island and other villages to the west, travelled past us with empty
sledges, to which were harnessed only a few dogs. They returned in
the course of a few days with their sledges fully laden with fish
which they said they had caught in a lagoon situated to the
eastward. They also sometimes sold a delicious variety of the
Coregonus taken in a lake in the interior some distance from the
coast.

Further on in winter a number of excursions were undertaken in
different directions, partly to find out these fishing place