This hypothesis is based on the testimony of Chukchi geographer Nikolai Daurkin, who had visited Alaska in 1764–1765 and who had reported on a village on the Kheuveren River, populated by "bearded men" who "pray to the icons".
ðɪs haɪpˈɑːθəsˌɪs ɪz bˈeɪst ɔnðə tˈɛstᵻməni ʌv tʃˈʌktʃaɪ dʒɪˈɑːɡɹəfɚ nˈɪkəlˌaɪ dˈɔːəkˌɪn, hˌuː hæd vˈɪzɪɾᵻd ɐlˈæskə ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti fˈoːɹ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti fˈaɪv ænd hˌuː hæd ɹᵻpˈoːɹɾᵻd ˌɔn ɐ vˈɪlɪdʒ ɔnðə kjˈuːvɚɹən ɹˈɪvɚ, pˈɑːpjʊlˌeɪɾᵻd bˈaɪ "bˈɪɹdᵻd mˈɛn" hˈuː "pɹˈeɪ tə ðɪ ˈaɪkɑːnz".