The Maritime Koryaks have underground or semi-underground dwellings. They use kayaks (one man boats) and in Northern Kamchatka, dugouts. In the intervals between famines and epi demics of syphilis, arctic hysteria, smallpox and measles, the population increases. But the absence of medical help, the smug gling of spirits and the use of fly-agaric as an intoxicant and their low standard of sanitation are great drawbacks to them.
They are, however, more prosperous than the Lamuts, a branch of the Tungus, who depend on the Koryaks for a supply of rein deer meat in time of famine. They appear to be dying out more rapidly than the Koryaks. The Kamchadals (Itelmen; Konchalo) are mainly half breeds between aborigines of a Mongolian type and Siberian emigrants or escaped convicts; their language, ex cept near Penzhina bay, has been replaced by Russian and their numbers have been much diminished by drink and syphilis.
Of incoming races, the Russians, descendants of the Cossacks settled there from the Lena, before the Amur region was con quered, some colonists settled in later times ; groups of religious exiles and escaped convicts form the larger proportion. There are also numerous Chinese and Koreans. The Japanese summer population for the fish canning numbers 4,00o to 5,000. Petro pavlovsk (q.v.) is the chief town and its population has increased from 398 in 1897 to 1,67o in 1926. The development of the fish ing industry has increased coastal communications; the season for steamer connections opens earlier and there are several sail ings direct to Petropavlovsk, and others to various east and west Kamchatkan centres. It has also helped to raise the standard of living, and the east coast inhabitants especially have a better and more varied diet, since there are more vessels to bring grain. There are no railways and no roads. Dog sledges are the chief means of transport, but the dogs are wild and ill trained and tracks are difficult to find in the heavy winter snows. The instal lation of wireless and telegraphic communications is already spreading news among the natives and lessening their isolation.
the north than to the south, but no reliance should be placed on maps of the inland district, as it has not all been topographically surveyed (1928). Vilkitski's exploring expedition in the steam ship "Tobol" in 1915 opened up fresh ground. Seals, walrus, lemmings and foxes are found and fishing is good in the rivers and coast lagoons.
The population consists of Chukchi and Eskimos, the latter having crossed from Alaska, and settled along Bering strait. The Chukchi belong to the aboriginal Palaeo-Siberian group. The number of Chukchi in the Chukchi peninsula was estimated at 2,000 in 1926, but the Chukchi have spread beyond Chaun bay and through the Anadir region to Kamchatka, and their total number is probably Io to thousand. Their name means rich in reindeer, and they are mainly nomad reindeer breeders ; some hunt the wild reindeer, when the latter cross from the Polpol mountains over the Anadir river to the north in June and return south in July. Wolves, bears and foxes are also trapped. The maritime Chukchi are mainly seal hunters, but also catch walrus and whale. They use walrus skin boats and harpoons or guns. Reindeer breeding is more profitable than fishing and the evi dence seems to point to the development of the reindeer Chukchi at a later date from the original maritime Chukchi. The mari time Chukchi are gradually transferring themselves to reindeer breeding. In view of the importance of the reindeer, a veterinary station was established in the Chukchi peninsula near Cape Dezhnev in 1927, and a boarding school and hospital for the natives is planned for 1928. At present Uelen is the nearest boarding centre to the station.
The trading centres of the Chukchi peninsula are mainly in Bering strait ; whalebone, walrus tusks, skins and fur boots are the main exports. Coal, graphite and silver exist, but the remote ness of the district and the severity of the climate prevent their exploitation. There is a wireless station near Cape Dezhnev (East cape). The Anadir river, south of the Arctic circle, has a drainage area of about 330,00o sq.m. It is frozen from the middle of October to June, and at Novo-Mariinsk often to mid-July. It is navigable for 200 m. up to Markovo during the summer and is rich in fish. The inhabitants of Markovo secure red salmon.