. The world's inhabitants; or, Mankind, animals, and plants; being a popular account of the races and nations of mankind, past and present, and the animals and plants inhabiting the great continents and principal islands. OSTIAK OF OBI BASIN. The meat which they do not eat at once, theyThey are very slight vegetable eaters, livingchiefly upon the flesh of the elk. The fur of the sable is one of their I 420 THE INHABITANTS OF ASIA. principal objects of trade ; but they pay tbeir tribute by means of elk skins. Coming now to the north-eastern part of Siberia, we find a fewremnants of ancient peop
. The world's inhabitants; or, Mankind, animals, and plants; being a popular account of the races and nations of mankind, past and present, and the animals and plants inhabiting the great continents and principal islands. OSTIAK OF OBI BASIN. The meat which they do not eat at once, theyThey are very slight vegetable eaters, livingchiefly upon the flesh of the elk. The fur of the sable is one of their I 420 THE INHABITANTS OF ASIA. principal objects of trade ; but they pay tbeir tribute by means of elk skins. Coming now to the north-eastern part of Siberia, we find a fewremnants of ancient peoples whose relationship it is by no means easyto settle, and who are probably doomed to extinction. A large tract ofthe north-east is occupied by the Tchukchi, whom some con-The TchukchL ^.^^^ merely a branch of the Esquimaux, while others regardthem as more nearly felated to the Koriaks, who occupy the countrybetween them and the Kamchadales. The Tchukchi are a hardy race,who long successfully withstood the Russians, and still number twelve. thousand. They formerly depended chiefly upon reindeer, of which theystill possess large herds ; but many of them are expert whale and seal-fishers and walrus-hunters. They are, on the whole, of Mongolian type,round-headed, wide and flat-faced, with sunk noses and thick lips. Theyare muscular and thick-necked, and in many points resemble the Esqui-maux. In disposition they are peaceful and good-humoured, with muchfamily affection. Many have been to some extent christianised, but theystill burn their dead or expose them on piles to the crows, and sacrifice tonumerous nature-gods. They marry more than one wife when they arerich enough ; and their wives are faithful, industrious, and in many waysskilful. In language they diifer considerably from the Tartar, Turki, \ THE INHABITANTS OF SIBERIA. 42 r The Koriaks. or Finnisli groups of Mongoloids. Many of the women are tattooed likethe Tungnses. Formerly the men passed a walruss tooth tlu-ough ah
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectcivilization, bookyea
