me for barter
with the natives, put it into my power to procure a large number of
contributions to the ethnological collection, which in the absence
of other wares for barter I would otherwise have been unable to
obtain. For the Chukches do not understand money. This is so much
the more remarkable as they carry on a very extensive trade, and
evidently are good mercantile men. According to von Dittmar (_loc.
cit._ p. 129) there exists, or still existed in 1856, a steady,
slow, but regular transport of goods along the whole north coast of
Asia and America, by which Russian goods were conveyed to the
innermost parts of Polar America, and furs instead found their way
to the bazaars of Moscow and St. Petersburg. This traffic is carried
on at five market places, of which three are situated in America,
one on the islands at Behring's Straits, and one at Anjui near
Kolyma The last-mentioned is called by the Chukches "the fifth
beaver market."[285]

[Illustration: CHUKCH IMPLEMENTS.
1. Scraper for currying (one-seventh of the natural size).
2. Awls (one-half).
3. Ice-scraper intended for decoying the seal from its hole,
with bone amulet affixed (one-half).
4. Bone knife (one-half).
5., 6. Amulets of bone (natural size).
7. Pipe and tobacco pouch (one-third).
8. Metal spoons (one-third). ]

The Chukches' principal articles of commerce consist of seal-skin,
train-oil, fox-skins and other furs, walrus tusks, whalebone, &c.
Instead they purchase tobacco, articles of iron, reindeer skin and
reindeer flesh, and, when it can be had, spirit. A bargain is
concluded very cautiously after long-continued consultation in a
whispering tone between those present. I employed spirit as an
article for barter only in the last necessity, but they soon
observed that the desire to become owner of an uncommon article of
art or antiquity overcame my determination, and they soon learned to
avail themselves of this, especially as in all cases I made full
payment for the article and gave the fire-water into the bargain.

The lamp (see the figures at pp. 22, 23), with which light is
maintained in the tent, consists of a flat trough of wood, bone of
the whale, soap-stone or burned clay, broader behind than before,
and divided by an isolated toothed comb into two divisions. In the
front division wicks of moss (Sphagnum sp.) are laid in a long thin
row along the whole edge. Under the lamp there is always another
vessel intended to receive t