The women are very generally tattooed down the center of the forehead and along each side of the nose to the nostril, and elaborate designs cover the cheek. I also saw tattooing on the hands, wrists, and arms. One girl had two waving lines from the forehead to the nostrils, and nine in a fan shape from the lower lip to the chin. Another, with the other marks, had an "X" on the chin at each corner of her mouth. Occasionally the men were tattooed. I saw a husband and wife marked exactly alike. They were dressed exclusively in skins and furs. Neither on their persons nor in the construction of their tents, furnishings, or bedding did I see as much as a thread of wool or cotton. Their clothing, tents, and bedding are made from reindeer skins. Their food is largely dried reindeer meat, supplemented with whale and seal blubber. Their thread is reindeer sinew, and from the reindeer horns are made many household implements.

The dress of both men and women is made of a large skin shirt, so constructed that the fur can be worn outside or next to the skin, as may be desired, and a pair of skin pants with the fur inside. These extend to the knee. Those of the women are wide, so that when tied at the knee, they present a baggy appearance similar to Turkish trousers. Then a pair of fur boots soled with seal or walrus hide. The tops of the boots are tied closely around the bottom of the pants. Suspended by a string around the neck is a fur hood, which can be pulled over the head when needed. The babe is carried inside the parka, or fur coat, on the back of the mother. A belt around the waist of the parka keeps the babe from slipping down too far. The dress of the babe consists of a single garment of reindeer skin, but this garment combines hood, coat, pants, shoes, and mittens all in one. When dressed, only a small portion of the face of the child is visible.

The sleds are made of birch runners. Over these are a half-dozen arches made of reindeer horns. These arches connect the runners and support the floor of the sled. At the rear end of the sled is a slight railing to support the back of the traveler. No iron is used in making the sled; all the parts are firmly lashed together with whalebone strips or rawhide. The runners are shod with bone. Before these are harnessed six dogs in pairs, or two reindeer. The reindeer are also driven side by side. The harness of the reindeer is very simple, being a strap around his neck connected with a trace between his legs.

The tents we saw are conical, like those of the Dakota Indians, the poles being covered with reindeer skins or walrus hides. In some portions of the country, where straight poles can not be had, whalebones are used for frames, and the tents are oval in shape. Within the tents for the sake of greater warmth are small inner inclosures made by hanging reindeer-skin curtains. These small inclosures are the sleeping places. As they follow their herds from one pasturage to another these tents are easily taken down, loaded on the sled, removed to the next camp and set up again.

They have two kinds of boats, consisting of a light frame of birchwoood, over which is stretched seal or walrus skin. The large, open boat is called by the natives oomiak, by the Kamtchatkans bidar. These will carry from 25 to 50 people. The smaller boat is intended for from 1 to 3 men, and is entirely encased in skin, except the openings left for the men to sit in. These are called kyaks, kaiak, or bidarka.

In hunting whales, walrus, and seals they use spears with ivory points set in bone sockets. Small birds and animals are trapped. Their gun is a miniature rifle with a barrel not over 2 feet long. To the stock are fastened by a hinge two light sticks, which are used as supports to the gun when firing. Powder and lead are so difficult to obtain and so expensive that the hunter runs no unnecessary risk in using it. It is said that sometimes they hunt to recover the bullet in order to use it again. I tried in vain to purchase one of these guns. They seem to have no chiefs, their organization being largely patriarchal. If one man accumulates more deer than his neighbors, he secures a certain amount of influence on account of his wealth. Poor men, who have no deer of their own, join his band, and assist in caring for his herd, in return for food and clothing. The only law that governs the community seems to be the natural law that is found in all barbarous tribes, that of retaliation. A few years ago a feud started between a band living on the coast, and a band of deer men living in the neighborhood, during which the latter band was exterminated.

They impressed me as a very unselfish people. In the distribution of the presents none seemed to think that someone else was receiving more than he. The more frequent expression of anxiety seemed to be that no one should be overlooked. They also called attention to some who were unavoidably absent, and offered to take them their share. Evidently some of them had never been

upon a ship before, and they were naturally curious to look all over it. Sometimes when a family came off in their boat, at first only the men came aboard. After a while, as if gaining confidence, the women and children would venture. Frequently as soon as they were on deck they would sit down as if afraid to stand up. One woman reaching the deck in safety expressed her joy by throwing her arms around her husband's neck and they rubbed noses (their method of salutation in the place of kissing).

I secured from them for the museum of the Society of Natural History and Ethnography at Sitka, a number of things to illustrate their manner of living. There being a herd of some 1.500 reindeer a few miles up the coast, in order that we might visit them and the ship procure some fresh meat, after the dis tribution of the presents the captain got under way and sailed up to the reindeer herd, where he again anchored. Going ashore, we found the herd on the beach. some of them apparently drinking the salt water. The winter with its unusual amount of snow had been severe upon them, so that they were very poor. They were also shedding their hair and their horns were in the velvet, so they did not make a very impressive appearance. Off to one side two sleds were standing with two deer attached to each. Getting upon one of the sleds, by motions I made them understand that I wanted a ride, and a short one was given me. The reindeer were much smaller than I had expected to find them, the majority of them being not much larger than the wild deer of other sections. The captain purchased four deer, which were slaughtered and dressed for him. When getting ready to lasso the deer the owner's family seated themselves in a circle on the ground, where probably some rites connected with their superstitions were observed. Upon attempting to approach the circle we were motioned away. After a little while the men went out and lassoed a selected animal, which was led out on one side of the herd. The man that was leading it stationed himself directly in front of the animal and held him firmly by the two horns. Another with a butcher knife stood at the side of the deer. An old man, probably the owner, went off to the eastward, and placing his back to the setting sun seemed engaged in prayer, upon the conclusion of which he turned around and faced the deer. This was the signal for knifing the animal. With apparently no effort, the knife was pushed to the heart and withdrawn. The animal seemed to suffer no pain, and in a few seconds sank to his knees and rolled over on his side. While this was taking place the old man before mentioned stood erect, motionless, with his hand over his eyes. When the deer was dead he approached, and taking a handful of hair and blood from the wound, impressively threw it to the eastward. This was repeated a second time. Upon the killing of the second animal the wife of the owner cast the hair and blood to the eastward. I did not remain to the slaughter of the other two. While the animal was bleeding to death several women and girls gathered around and commenced sharpening their knives on stones preparatory to skinning the animal, which they proceeded to do as soon as the deer were dead. Engineer Meyers photographed the herd. · At 4:15 on the morning of the 25th the ship was gotten under way and we started northward. After proceeding about 20 miles we ran into a large field of floating ice. The sun was shining brightly. Off upon the western horizon. clear-cut against the sky, glistening and sparkling in their covering of snow, were the Siberian mountains, while all around us, as far as the eye could reach, were great masses of heavy ice, rubbing and grinding against one another. We were six hours steaming through this ice. While in the ice the captain shot three, and secured two, hooded seal. Great numbers of waterfowl were in the open spaces among the ice.

It was here that the whaling bark Sappho was crushed and sunk in 1882, and the barks Rainbow and Napolcon in 1885, and the bark Ladoga in 1889. This last vessel escaped destruction and was repaired. Just to the northward, between us and our destination, St. Lawrence Island, in 1885 the bark Gazelle was crushed and sunk.

On Saturday afternoon, June 28, we sighted the snow-covered coast of St. Lawrence Island, and dropped anchor off the village Chib-u-chak on the northwest corner of the island. We are now in latitude 64 degrees north. The sun rises at 1:55 o'clock and sets at 10:05 p. m. Temperature at noon 40 degrees. This is the largest island in Bering Sea. It was discovered and named by Bering's expedition in the summer of 1728. In 1775 the island was sighted by Captain Cook and named Clark Island. On the 10th of July, 1817, it was visited by Kotzebuej's expedition in the Rurik, and in 1830 by Etolin in command of the brig Chicagof. Etolin found five native villages on the island. In 1878 the island was the scene of a great tragedy. Starvation and pestilence carried away over 400 of the people.

When the revenue cutter visited the island in 1880 not a man, woman, or child was left to tell the tale. In four villages the corpses of the population alone were found. All the villages on the island with the single exception of Chib-uchak had been swept out of existence.

In 1884 Capt. Healy reports, "At the villages along the north shore no sign of living beings could be found, but the still decaying bodies of the unfortunate Eskimos were lying in and about the falling houses."

Before we dropped anchor four or five umniaks, loaded with natives, were waiting to board us. As soon as the anchor went down they paddled up to the

gangway, and from sixty to seventy men, women, and children came aboard, prepared to barter walrus tusks, ivory carvings, fur clothing, native boots and shoes, seal skin, etc. The women were more highly tattooed than any we have before met. As the captain wished to take the census of the village he had to go across to Indian Point (Cape Tchapalin), Siberia, for an interpreter.

It was a five-hours run. We reached Indian Point about 6 o'clock in the morning. The natives were soon off in force with the usual things for barter, and a few to secure the services of the ship's physician. The village consisted of some 2 dozen skin tents, also a few underground huts and one small frame house. Above the tide on the beach along the whole front of the village lay

the unbroken ice and snow. The village itself is on a low sandspit that pro jects out into the sea. The mountains back and above the village were covered with snow, and even while we were anchored there, a driving snow storm va sweeping over them. Small cakes of floating ice were drifting around the vess Going ashore, I was greatly impressed with the number of the children. In all the journey I have not met so large a number. Being in Russia, our Alaskan school system can not reach them. They are an Eskimo colony, speaking the same language as the natives of St. Lawrence Island. Perhaps they could be induced to remove over there for the sake of schooling their children.

At Indian Point we had eider ducks for dinner, and found them good eating, Securing an interpreter, Tommy Tough by name, the captain, on the morning of June 30, returned to St. Lawrence Island. On our way across, although an allowance of 5 miles had been made for the current, the vessel was carried ly miles farther out of its course, making a drift of 15 miles in a distance of 40. A dense fog having set in, the ship passed north of the island without seeing it The fog lifting at 10:30 a. m., we retraced our course and soon after dropped anchor abreast of the village, and I went ashore with Lieut. Dimock, Dr. Holmes. and the interpreter.

The houses are from 20 to 40 feet in size. For a distance of 5 or 6 feet above the ground the walls are built of driftwood, whalebone, or timbers and planks from shipwrecked vessels. These are placed on end side by side, forming an inclosure in a circular or oblong form. The cracks between these planks are stuffed with moss. From the top of these walls rafters made of poles are extended across, meeting in the center. These are supported in the center by a ridge pole resting upon posts. These rafters are covered with walrus and seal skins, forming the roof. Some roofs are in the shape of a cone and others of a dome. Inside they are partitioned off around the sides with deer skin curtains. The spaces curtained off form the sleeping places. All around, inside and outside, are filth, dirt, sleds, spears, snowshoes, and household utensils. The houses and tents are located with no reference to order or street lines. The sleds are shod with bone. On a few small ones, the whole runner was made of a walrus tusk.

If the building is a very large one there is a row of supporting poles on each side, midway between the center and sides. Over the rafter poles are stretched walrus hides. These are held in position by rawhide ropes, attached to which and hanging down the sides of the building are the vertebræ of whales, large stones, and old iron from shipwrecked vessels. This anchorage both stretch s the skins and prevents them from being blown off. These skins being translucent let in a great deal of light. There are no windows in the house, and bata small opening, from 2 to 23 feet above the ground, for a door. Fire, when they have any, is made on the dirt floor in the center of the room. Each building is cccupied by several families. Near the house is a scaffold made of posts of the jaw bones of the whale. These are 7 to 10 feet high and 10 feet wide. A series of these make the scaffolds from 20 to 30 feet long. On these are placed the skin boats, harness of the dogs, meat, etc., so as to be out of the reach of dogs. Upon one of these, attached to the whale bone cross beam, was a child's swing made of walrus thong rope.

I saw several excavations where underground houses had once been, and one such house still standing with the roof partially fallen in. The sides were com posed of walrus skulls laid up like a New England stone wall. In this house were some corpses, together with the spear and arrowheads and personal belongings of the dead.

Large patches of snow and ice still remain in the village, some of them being from 3 to 4 feet deep. As we passed from house to house we were followed by a crowd of dirty, but bright-looking children. From the eldest to the child which was just able to talk, they asked for tobacco, which is used by both sexes and all ages down to the nursing child. Five little girls, from 4 to 10 years of age, gave m a native dance. They commenced with a swinging motion of the body from side to side, throwing their weight alternately upon each foot. This was accom panied by an explosive grunt, or squeak, as if the air was being violently expelled from the lungs. As they warmed up, they whirled around, writhed and twisted their bodies and distorted their faces into all manner of shapes and expressions, until they would fall down with dizziness.

The census revealed a total population of 270, of whom 70 were boys and 55 girls, living in 21 houses. This is a good village for a school. One established here ought to draw to it some families from Indian Point, Siberia. They are the same people, and the two villages are about 40 miles apart. During the summer of 1891 the Reformed Episcopal Missionary Society will establish a mission school at this village.

KING ISLAND.

Returning the interpreter to Indian Point, the captain steamed away for King Island, which we reached about 5 p. m. on July 1. This is one of the most remarkable settlements in America. The island is a great mass of basalt rock, about a mile in length, rising from the sea with perpendicular sides from 700 to 1,000 feet above the water. On the south side the wall is broken down by a ravine rising at an angel of 45 degrees, and is filled with loose rock. A great, permanent snow bank filled the bottom of the ravine from the water to the top of the mountain. On the west side of the snow is the village of Ouk-i-vak, which consists of some 40 dwellings or underground houses, partly excavated in the side of the hill, and built up with stone walls. Across the top of these walls are large poles made from the driftwood that is caught floating around the island. Upon these are placed hides and grass, which are in turn covered with dirt. A low tunnel or dirt-covered hallway, 10 to 15 feet long, leads directly under the center of the dwelling. This is so low that we had to stoop and often creep in entering. At the end of the hall directly overhead is a hole about 18 inches in diameter. This is the entrance to the dwelling above.

Frequently in summer, these caves become too damp to live in. The people then erect a summer house upon top of the winter one. The summer house consists of walrus hides, stretched over a wooden frame, making a room from 10 to 15 feet square. These summer houses are guyed to rocks with rawhide ropes, to prevent them from being blown off into the sea. The entrance is an oval hole in the walrus hide, about 2 feet above the floor. Outside of the door is a narrow platform about 2 feet wide, leading back to the side of the hill. Some of these platforms are from 15 to 20 feet above the roofs of the huts below them. Across the ravine from the village, at the base of the perpendicular sides of the island is a cave, into the mouth of which the surf dashes and roars. At the back of the cave is a large bank of perpetual snow. On the side of the mountain above there is a perpendicular shaft from 80 to 100 feet deep, leading down into the cave. This cave is the storehouse for the whole village. Walrus and seal meat is dropped down the shaft, and then stored away in rooms excavated in the snow. As the temperature in the cave never rises above freezing point, meat so stored soon freezes solid and keeps indefinitely. The women gain entrance to their storehouse by letting themselves down the shaft, hand over hand, along a rawhide rope.

Capt. Healy had a census taken with the following result: Total population 200, of whom 33 were males and 45 females under 21 years of age. Here, as at the other native villages, I secured a number of articles of interest for the museum of natural history and ethnology at Sitka.

THE WHALING FLEET.

At 3:15 a. m. on the 2d of July the ship anchored at Port Clarence, in the midst of the Arctic whaling fleet. Eight steamers and eighteen sailing vessels, all flying the American flag, were an inspiring sight in this far off, uninhabited bay; almost within the Arctic Circle; and the more so, as a few months ago, in Washington, I heard a gentleman who had just returned from a trip around the world, say in a public address that in all his trip, he had seen but one vessel flying the Stars and Stripes. Many of the whalers leave San Francisco in January, and it is their custom to gather at this point about the 1st of July before entering the Arctic Ocean, to meet a steamer sent from San Francisco with a fresh supply of provisions, coal, etc.

Soon after anchoring, the captains of the whalers began arriving in order to get their mail, for the captain of the revenue steamer, among other good offices for humanity, brings up the yearly mail for the 2,000 whalers, traders, teachers, and missionaries, and whoever else may be living in the Arctic regions of the United States. For those who have had no tidings from their loved ones at home or returns from an important business transaction, the coming of the revenue steamer is an important event. Great bundles of letters and papers were piled upon the captain's table, and again and again they were carefully scanned, each captain picking out those that belonged to himself or his crew. Some of them did this so nervously, that though they personally looked over the packet three or four different times, they still missed some, which would be detected and handed out by some one following.

A few visiting Eskimos were camped upon the beach, some of them being dressed in bird instead of deer skins.