Russia. Of late, intercourse with Russians has in some
degree mitigated their fierce character. Polygamy is
general among them: the women, though slaves, are better
treated than among many savage races. They kill all deformed
children, and their old people when infirm are put
to death by their own desire. There is a stern end grave
sedateness in their character which strongly distinguishes
the Tschuktschi from the other nomades of Northern Asia,
They are under the influence of schamans, but their superstition
has a peculiar character.
The Tschuktschi are not less strongly distinguished from
other Siberian races by their physical characters. “ The
Northern Asiatics in general,” says Baron von Wrangell,
‘•are short in stature, but broad-shouldered and muscular.
Their hands and feet are very small, their heads are large
in proportion to their bodies, their face-is,broad and flat,
and the wide cheeks seem to press the mouth together and
give-it a roundish form. Their hair is black and coarse,
and their small, deep-seated eyes are dull and inanimate.
Their whole outward form seems contracted by the^e verity
of the climate and the constant conflict with cold and hunger,
and from the same causesAheir moral apd intellectual
faculties appear as if but imperfectly developed/A, .Baron
von Wrangell, on the other hand, thought the„TsfiJu#|§#lft
very similar to-the natives of North America. The same
observation occurred to Captain Cochrane, who travelled to
the country of the Tschuktschi, and met, at their great fair
beyond the Kolyma, individuals from various tribes. At the
same fair were two natives of North America, who had come
over the straits for the purpose of trade. He thought them
ipore like the Tschuktschi than the natives of Behring’s
Straits, though of a browner colour. Of the Tschuktschi
themselves he gives the following a c c o u n t -
“ The Tschuktschi know nothing of their origin or first
settlement in their country, nor of the Tartar nations
subject to Russia, nor do they understand any Tartar words.
Their language bears no affinity to any of the Tartar idioms,
but it is understood by the Koriaks.” The features of the-
Tschuktschi, their manners and customs,” in the opinion
of Cochrane, c,‘ pronounce them to be of American origin,
of which the shavifig of thé head, the puncturing of their
bodies, their wearing lorig ear-rings, their independent
and swaggering Way of walking, their dress and superstitions
ideas, are also evident- proofs.” This traveller conjectures
that Other tribei5 of Polar Ahïërielfns may Have
descended from them'. “ Their dress is perfectly similar, and
several words of their languages are alike.’’
Sauër informs û&ythât the Tschuktschi are tall and stout
people,* and hold little men in the utmost contempt. Cochrane
says, thdt‘ “ the persons of the Tschuktschi are not
peculiarly large, though their dress, which is of èhér-
mous* size, gives- them almost a gigantic appearance:
They have fair or clear sliiiiv b # ordinary though masculine
features. In conduct they are wild and rudé; They
have ho diseases, and- livédo a great agh.’’^ I
The Koriaks or Kofæki ère a branch of the same race
to: which the Tschuktschi belong The country of the
Koriaks is between, the Gulph of Anadyr and the rîvéP
Omolon. They border'on the' Yukàghiri towards the west,-
and to the -southward on- the Kàmtschàtkans. Kora; in
their îangdàgéy means u r-èîn-de'è¥, and -thef^ national desig-
nation is said to be taken from this term, and to mean
feeders of rein-deer herds.
The Koriaks- according to Lesseps, speak the saine
language as the Tschuktscbi, and- res%Mble;them idevery
respect. The latter, according to this writer', and the* description
seems to include'the-Tschuktschi, are taller than1
the Kamtschatkans, and havë; features with little1 or nothing
of what is termed the Asiatic character, but very swarthy
complexions.^
It seems that thé Koriaks and the Tschuktschi are ohly
subdivisions of one race of people and not tfao distinct
nations, but there is another tribe who have-been termed
“ Fishing or Stationary Tschuktschi^'and''Supposed to belong
to the race of the nomadic or * ReiÈfcdÜÉer-feeding**
Tschuktschi. They are hoWeVet a distinct jiedple: their
* Sailer, in'Billihg’s e^eiBtipNo'the Polar Seas.!
f ‘EôiÉëÿa’s Travëlb from Kaintschatka.: