The Normal Record. November 1896

              THE NORMAL RECORD.
the victuals during their preparation.
Gastronomically speaking the Korak meals
can not be sard to be a success from an
American point of view.
The Koraks closely resemble our American
Indians in appearance, but morally are
their superiors. We found them to be a frank,
generous, selfreliant people, superstitious in
the extreme, and thoroughly satisfied with
their mode of life. They rarely remain in
one place more than a week as their large
bands of reindeer, pawing the moss from
under the snow for food, soon exhaust the
pasture around the camp and consequently
from necessity more than from a love for a
roving life, they are lead to wander in search
of food for their flocks.
During the evening Mr. Furrier effected a
bargain with the men for their winter catch
of furs, agreeing to furnish them in exchange
for a certain number of pelts, a large quantity
of the fungus, called toadstool. This takes
the place of alcholic liquors among the
Koraks, as it produces, when taken in small
quantities, all the stimulating effects of
alcohol.
That night we slept in a narrow compartment of  the   "yourt"  called  a "polog" and
were lulled to sleep by the sonorous voices of
the older Koraks conversing in weird polysyllables in all probability about the extent of
the winter catch of sables and the promised
toadstools.
On the following morning after bidding
adieu to the hospitable Koraks, we set out
on reindeer sledges for the camp of a tribe of
Chookchees not many miles distant, and near
evening found them. They differ but little
from the Koraks in manners and customs,
but in disposition they differ greatly. The
Chookchees are treacherous, changeable and
pronounced thieves.
By means of reindeer sledges we went to
the village of Kamenoi, or home of the
"settled" Koraks. These wretched people
were the filthiest, most despicable tribe I
ever saw. They were indolent and unpro-
gressive, living wholly upon salmon and engaged in catching but few salable furs.
From Kamenoi we went among the more
northern tribes and finally late in March arrived at the mouth of the Anadye river where
we awaited the arrival of an American vessel.
Mr. Furrier's trip had been a decided financial success and mine a highly adventurous
and instructive one.
Exchanges
Teacher—" Thomas, compare the adjective
'cold'."
Thomas—(Anundertaker's son) "Positive,
cold; comparative, cough; superlative,
coffin."
on "The Results of Laziness." A certain
bright youth handed in as his composition a
blank sheet of paper.
It is reported that two hundred American
colleges publish papers.
In the beginning man was created with a
funny bone, and to this day he laughs in his
sleeve. He is the only animal that laughs
except woman, who, at present, laughs more
than man, perhaps on accouut of her sleeves.
Professor—(To First Arithmetic Class)
"How many in a family consisting of husband, wife and child?"
Smart Boy—" Two, and one to carry."
We would like to  have the "Tattler
form us as to what " woozy " chalk is.
The "Panorama," published at Providence,
R. I., is a neat paper and contains some
good material.
" The Kodak," published by the Athletic
Club of the Eau Claire High School, Wisconsin, is always welcomed by our staff.
A teacher  asked his  class to write  essays
Among exchanges recently received are,
"The Recorder," from Springfield, Mass.;
" The Athlete," from Waterbury, Conn., and
the October numbers of " The Vidette " from
the Illinois State Normal, the "Normal Exponent," from Los Angeles, "The Hatchet,"
from Leavenworth, Kan., "The Lake
Breeze," from the Sheboygan High School,
Sheboygan, Wis., and the November number
of " The Student's Review."