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of a human being, meaning to them a divinity.' We saw such
pieces of wood scattered near the yurts, and asked whether
they really meant some kind of divinity. But we were an-
swered in the negative, saying that these figurines are made
as ornaments, the same as is made from skins, which they wil-
lingly traded to us. The elder, Paigdau, who we asked about
this, assured us that they have no idols.

"The Chukchi have shamans or sorcerers of both sexes; the
male shamans are called Eengan and the female shamans, Neut-
kat-eugan-gulen.

"The Eengan, that is, the male shaman, tells a fortune
by water, making faces and looking into it and calling on
Kamaka and foretelling the future. The elder, Paigdau, said
that the Eengan, telling the future, foretold our coming to them.

"The Neutkat-eugan-gulen, that is, the female shaman, is
called for only by women in sickness, and does not prognosti-
cate by water, but only beats the tambourine and calls Kamaka,
after which she gives to the sick one some bewitched water
and rubs her with her hands.

"At birth, the duty of midwife is carried on by the woman
in childbirth herself. The newly-born are not swaddled.

"Shamans of both sexes do not differ from anyone else
either in clothing or designs on the body.

"Neither at the time of birth nor at death do they call
on Kamaka. Only after the death of relatives they cry a lot.
The bodies of the dead ones are cremated and at the place of
cremation they place some of the dead one's weapons, often