Chapter XIII: Matthias Alexander Castrén

His Birthplace and first Studies.--Journey in Lapland, 1838.--
The Iwalojoki.--The Lake of Enara.--The Pastor of Utzjoki.--
From Rowaniémi to Kemi.--Second Voyage, 1841–44.--Storm on
the White Sea.--Return to Archangel.--The Tundras of the
European Samoïedes.--Mesen.--Universal Drunkenness.--Sledge
Journey to Pustosersk.--A Samoïede Teacher.--Tundra Storms.--
Abandoned and alone in the Wilderness.--Pustosersk.--Our
Traveller’s Persecutions at Ustsylmsk and Ishemsk.--The
Uusa.--Crossing the Ural.--Obdorsk.--Second Siberian
Journey, 1845–48.--Overflowing of the Obi.--Surgut.--
Krasnojarsk.--Agreeable Surprise.--Turuchansk.--Voyage down
the Jenissei.--Castrén’s Study at Plachina.--From Dudinka to
Tolstoi Noss.--Frozen Feet.--Return Voyage to the South.--
Frozen fast on the Jenissei.--Wonderful Preservation.--
Journey across the Chinese Frontiers, and to Transbaikalia.--
Return to Finland.--Professorship at Helsingfors.--Death of
Castrén, 1855. 168

CHAPTER XIV.

THE SAMOÏEDES.

Their Barbarism.--Num, or Jilibeambaertje.--Shamanism.--
Samoïede Idols.--Sjadæi.--Hahe.--The Tadebtsios, or
Spirits.--The Tadibes, or Sorcerers.--Their Dress.--Their
Invocations.--Their conjuring Tricks.--Reverence paid to the
Dead.--A Samoïede Oath.--Appearance of the Samoïedes.--Their
Dress.--A Samoïede Belle.--Character of the Samoïedes.--
Their decreasing Numbers.--Traditions of ancient Heroes. 179

CHAPTER XV.

THE OSTIAKS.

What is the Obi?--Inundations.--An Ostiak summer Yourt.--
Poverty of the Ostiak Fishermen.--A winter Yourt.--Attachment
of the Ostiaks to their ancient Customs.--An Ostiak Prince.--
Archery.--Appearance and Character of the Ostiaks.--The Fair
of Obdorsk. 185

CHAPTER XVI.

CONQUEST OF SIBERIA BY THE RUSSIANS--THEIR VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY
ALONG THE SHORES OF THE POLAR SEA.

Ivan the Terrible.--Strogonoff.--Yermak, the Robber and
Conqueror.--His Expeditions to Siberia.--Battle of Tobolsk.--
Yermak’s Death.--Progress of the Russians to Ochotsk.--Semen
Deshnew.--Condition of the Siberian Natives under the Russian
Yoke.--Voyages of Discovery in the Reign of the Empress
Anna.--Prontschischtschew.--Chariton and Demetrius Laptew.--
An Arctic Heroine.--Schalaurow.--Discoveries in the Sea of
Bering and in the Pacific Ocean.--The Lächow Islands.--Fossil
Ivory.--New Siberia.--The wooden Mountains.--The past Ages
of Siberia. 191

CHAPTER XVII.

SIBERIA--FUR-TRADE AND GOLD-DIGGINGS.

Siberia.--Its immense Extent and Capabilities.--The Exiles.--
Mentschikoff.--Dolgorouky.--Münich.--The Criminals.--
The free Siberian Peasant.--Extremes of Heat and Cold.--
Fur-bearing Animals.--The Sable.--The Ermine.--The Siberian
Weasel.--The Sea-otter.--The black Fox.--The Lynx.--The
Squirrel.--The varying Hare.--The Suslik.--Importance of the
Fur-trade for the Northern Provinces of the Russian Empire.--
The Gold-diggings of Eastern Siberia.--The Taiga.--Expenses
and Difficulties of searching Expeditions.--Costs of Produce,
and enormous Profits of successful Speculators.--Their
senseless Extravagance.--First Discovery of Gold in the Ural
Mountains.--Jakowlew and Demidow.--Nishne-Tagilsk. 204

CHAPTER XVIII.

MIDDENDORFF’S ADVENTURES IN TAIMURLAND.

For what Purpose was Middendorff’s Voyage to Taimurland
undertaken?--Difficulties and Obstacles.--Expedition down the
Taimur River to the Polar Sea.--Storm on Taimur Lake.--Loss
of the Boat.--Middendorff ill and alone in 75° N. Lat.--Saved
by a grateful Samoïede.--Climate and Vegetation of Taimurland.
220

CHAPTER XIX.

THE JAKUTS.

Their energetic Nationality.--Their Descent.--Their gloomy
Character.--Summer and Winter Dwellings.--The Jakut Horse.--
Incredible Powers of Endurance of the Jakuts.--Their
Sharpness of Vision.--Surprising local Memory.--Their manual
Dexterity.--Leather, Poniards, Carpets.--Jakut Gluttons.--
Superstitious Fear of the Mountain-spirit Ljeschei.--Offerings
of Horse-hair.--Improvised Songs.--The River Jakut. 228

CHAPTER XX.

WRANGELL.

His distinguished Services as an Arctic Explorer.--From
Petersburg to Jakutsk in 1820.--Trade of Jakutsk.--From
Jakutsk to Nishne-Kolymsk.--The Badarany.--Dreadful Climate
of Nishne-Kolymsk.--Summer Plagues.--Vegetation.--Animal
Life.--Reindeer-hunting.--Famine.--Inundations.--The
Siberian Dog.--First Journeys over the Ice of the Polar Sea,
and Exploration of the Coast beyond Cape Shelagskoi in 1821.--
Dreadful Dangers and Hardships.--Matiuschkin’s Sledge-journey
over the Polar Sea in 1822.--Last Adventures on the Polar
Sea.--A Run for Life.--Return to St. Petersburg. 233

CHAPTER XXI.

THE TUNGUSI.

Their Relationship to the Mantchou.--Dreadful Condition of the
outcast Nomads.--Character of the Tungusi.--Their Outfit for
the Chase.--Bear-hunting.--Dwellings.--Diet.--A Night’s
Halt with Tungusi in the Forest.--Ochotsk. 244

CHAPTER XXII.

GEORGE WILLIAM STELLER.

His Birth.--Enters the Russian Service.--Scientific Journey
to Kamchatka.--Accompanies Bering on his second Voyage of
Discovery.--Lands on the Island of Kaiak.--Shameful Conduct
of Bering.--Shipwreck on Bering Island.--Bering’s Death.--
Return to Kamchatka.--Loss of Property.--Persecutions of the
Siberian Authorities.--Frozen to Death at Tjumen. 248

CHAPTER XXIII.

KAMCHATKA.

Climate.--Fertility.--Luxuriant Vegetation.--Fish.--
Sea-birds.--Kamchatkan Bird-catchers.--The Bay of Avatscha.--
Petropavlosk.--The Kamchatkans.--Their physical and moral
Qualities.--The _Fritillaria Sarrana_.--The Muchamor.--
Bears.--Dogs. 254

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE TCHUKTCHI.

The Land of the Tchuktchi.--Their independent Spirit and
commercial Enterprise.--Perpetual Migrations.--The Fair of
Ostrownoje.--Visit in a Tchuktch Polog.--Races.--Tchuktch
Bayaderes.--The Tennygk, or Reindeer Tchuktchi.--The Onkilon,
or Sedentary Tchuktchi.--Their Mode of Life. 262

CHAPTER XXV.

BERING SEA--THE RUSSIAN FUR COMPANY--THE ALEUTS.

Bering Sea.--Unalaska.--The Pribilow Islands.--St. Matthew.--
St. Laurence.--Bering’s Straits.--The Russian Fur Company.--
The Aleuts.--Their Character.--Their Skill and Intrepidity
in hunting the Sea-otter.--The Sea-bear.--Whale-chasing.--
Walrus-slaughter.--The Sea-lion. 268

CHAPTER XXVI.

ALASKA.

Purchase of Alaska by the United States.--The Russian American
Telegraph Scheme.--Whymper’s Trip up the Yukon.--Dogs.--
The Start.--Extempore Water-filter.--Snow-shoes.--The
Frozen Yukon.--Under-ground Houses.--Life at Nulato.--
Cold Weather.--Auroras.--Approach of Summer.--Breaking-up
of the Ice.--Fort Yukon.--Furs.--Descent of the Yukon.--
Value of Goods.--Arctic and Tropical Life.--Moose-hunting.--
Deer-corrals.--Lip Ornaments.--Canoes.--Four-post Coffin.--
The Kenaian Indians.--The Aleuts.--Value of Alaska. 277

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE ESQUIMAUX.

Their wide Extension.--Climate of the Regions they inhabit.--
Their physical Appearance.--Their Dress.--Snow Huts.--The
Kayak, or the Baidar.--Hunting Apparatus and Weapons.--
Enmity between the Esquimaux and the Red Indian.--The
“Bloody Falls.”--Chase of the Reindeer.--Bird-catching.--
Whale-hunting.--Various Stratagems employed to catch the
Seal.--The “Keep-kuttuk.”--Bear-hunting.--Walrus-hunting.--
Awaklok and Myouk.--The Esquimaux Dog.--Games and Sports.--
Angekoks.--Moral Character.--Self-reliance.--Intelligence.--
Iligliuk.--Commercial Eagerness of the Esquimaux.--Their
Voracity.--Seasons of Distress. 290

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE FUR-TRADE OF THE HUDSON’S BAY TERRITORIES.

The Coureur des Bois.--The Voyageur.--The Birch-bark Canoe.--
The Canadian Fur-trade in the last Century.--The Hudson’s
Bay Company.--Bloody Feuds between the North-west Company
of Canada and the Hudson’s Bay Company.--Their Amalgamation
into a new Company in 1821.--Reconstruction of the Hudson’s
Bay Company in 1863.--Forts or Houses.--The Attihawmeg.--
Influence of the Company on its savage Dependents.--The Black
Bear, or Baribal.--The Brown Bear.--The Grizzly Bear.--The
Raccoon.--The American Glutton.--The Pine Marten.--The
Pekan, or Wood-shock.--The Chinga.--The Mink.--The Canadian
Fish-otter.--The Crossed Fox.--The Black or Silvery Fox.--
The Canadian Lynx, or Pishu.--The Ice-hare.--The Beaver.--
The Musquash. 304

CHAPTER XXIX.

THE CREE INDIANS, OR EYTHINYUWUK.

The various Tribes of the Crees.--Their Conquests and subsequent
Defeat.--Their Wars with the Blackfeet.--Their Character.--
Tattooing.--Their Dress.--Fondness for their Children.--The
Cree Cradle.--Vapor Baths.--Games.--Their religious Ideas.--
The Cree Tartarus and Elysium. 319

CHAPTER XXX.

THE TINNÉ INDIANS.

The various Tribes of the Tinné Indians.--The Dog-ribs.--
Clothing.--The Hare Indians.--Degraded State of the Women.--
Practical Socialists.--Character.--Cruelty to the Aged and
Infirm. 327

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE LOUCHEUX, OR KUTCHIN INDIANS.

The Countries they inhabit.--Their Appearance and Dress.--Their
Love of Finery.--Condition of the Women.--Strange Customs.--
Character.--Feuds with the Esquimaux.--Their suspicious and
timorous Lives.--Pounds for catching Reindeer.--Their Lodges.
331

CHAPTER XXXII.

ARCTIC VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY, FROM THE CABOTS TO BAFFIN.

First Scandinavian Discoverer of America.--The Cabots.--
Willoughby and Chancellor (1553–1554).--Stephen Burrough
(1556).--Frobisher (1576–1578).--Davis (1585–1587).--
Barentz, Cornelis, and Brant (1594).--Wintering of the Dutch
Navigators in Nova Zembla (1596–1597).--John Knight (1606).--
Murdered by the Esquimaux.--Henry Hudson (1607–1609).--Baffin
(1616). 335