s,
partly to get an idea of the mode of life of the reindeer Chukches.
I, however, never ventured to give permission for any long absence
from the vessel, because I was quite convinced that the sea round
the _Vega_ after a few days' constant southerly storm might become
open under circumstances which would not permit us to remain in the
open road where we lay moored, my comrades' desire to penetrate far
into the Chukch peninsula could not on that account be satisfied.
But short as these excursions were, they give us, however, much
information regarding our winter life, and our contact with the
little-known tribe, on the coast of whose homeland the _Vega_ had
been beset, and on that account, perhaps, there may be reasons for
making extracts from some of the reports given in to me with
reference to these journeys.

_Palander's and Kjellman's excursion to a reindeer Chukch camp
south-west of Pitlekaj_, is sketched by the former thus:--

"On the 17th March, 1879, accompanied by Dr. Kjellman, I
went out with a sledge and five men, among them a native
as guide, to the reindeer Chukch camp in the neighbourhood
of Taffelberg (Table Mountain), with a view to obtain
fresh reindeer flesh. The expedition was fitted out with
two days' provisions, tent, mattrasses, and _pesks_. The
reindeer Chukches were met with eleven English miles from
the vessel. On an eminence here were found two tents, of
which one at the time was uninhabited. The other was
occupied by the Chukch, Rotschitlen, his young wife, and
another young pair, the latter, if I understood them
right, being on a visit, and properly having their home at
Irgunnuk.

[Illustration: MAP OF THE REGION ROUND THE "VEGA'S" WINTER QUARTERS.
Mainly after G. Bove 1. Rotschitlen's tent 2. Yettugin's tent. ]

"Round the tent, which was considerably smaller than those
we daily saw at the coast, lay a number of sledges piled
up on one another. These sledges differed from the common
dog-sledges in being considerably larger and wider in the
gauge. The runners were clumsy and axed from large wood.

"Our proposal to purchase reindeer was immediately
declined, although we offered in exchange bread, tobacco,
rum, and even guns. As a reason for this refusal they
stated that the reindeer at this season of the year are
too lean to be slaughtered. We saw about fifty reindeer
pasturing on an emine