1^^^
^^y^.^

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

///// ^^ SeMp

1.0

I.I

1^128 |2^

no ^^" Ri^^l

1 2.2

li£ 12.0

L25 111114 111.6

Photograjiiic

Sciences

Corporation

23 WIST MAIN STRUT

WMSTM.N.Y. 14SS0

(716) •72-4503

CIHM/ICMH

Microfiche

Series.

CIHIVI/ICMH
Collection de
microfiches.

Canadian Institute for Historical Microraproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiquas

Technical and Bibliographic Notos/Notaa tachniquas at bibliographiquaa

Tha Instituta has attamptad to obtain tha bast
original copy availabia for filming. Faaturas of this
copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua,
which may altar any of tha imagas in tha
raproduction, or which may significantly changa
tha usual mathod of filming, ara chacliad balow.

Coloured covers/
Couvarture de coulaur

I I Covers damaged/

Couverture endommagte

Covers restored and/or laminated/
Couverture restaurte at/ou pelliculAe

□ Cover title missing/
Letit

titre de couverture manque

I I Coloured maps/

Cartes gAographiquas en couleur

Coloured inic (i.e. other than blue or biacic)/
Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire)

I I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/

Planches et/ou illustrations Bn couleur

Bound with other material/
ReliA avec d'autras documents

Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion
along interior margin/

La re liure serr^e peut causer de I'ombre ou de la
distortion la long da la marge intirieure

Blank leaves added during restoration may
appear within the text. Whenever possible, these
have been omitted from filming/
II se peut que certainas ptigas blanches ajoutAas
lors d'une restauration apparaissant dans la taxte,
mais, lorsqua cela Atait possible, ces pages n'ont
pas At* filmAas.

Additional comments:/
Commentairas supplAmantairas:

L'Institut a microfiimA la mailleur exemplaire
qu'il lui a AtA possible de se procurer. Les details
da cat exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du
point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier
une image reproduite. ou qui peuvent exiger une
modification dans la mAthoda normala de f ilmage
sont indiqute ci-dessous.

I I Coloured pages/

Pages de couleur

Pages damaged/
Pages endommag^as

Pages restored and/oi

Pages restaurias et/ou peiliculAes

Pages discoloured, stained or foxei
Pages dAcoiordes, tachatdes ou piqu(ftes

Pages detached/
Pages ditachtes

Showthroughy
Transparence

Quality of prin

QualitA in^gala de I'impression

Includes supplementary materii
Comprend du material supplAmantaire

Only edition available/
Seule Edition disponible

I — I Pages damaged/

I I Pages restored and/or laminated/

FT] Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/

I I Pages detached/

r~^ Showthrough/

I I Quality of print varies/

I I Includes supplementary material/

I — I Only edition available/

Tha
toti

Tha
post
ofti
film

Orifl

bagi

tha

sioii

oth<

firsi

sior

or 11

The
ahal
TIN
whi

Mai
diffi

anti

rigli
raqi
mat

Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata
slips, tissues, etc.. have been refilmed to
ensure the best possible image/
Les pages totalement ou partialiement
obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure,
etc., ont kxh filmtes h nouveau da fa^on A
obtenir la meilleure image possible.

This item is filmed at tha reduction ratio checked below/

Ce document est filmA au taux da rMuction indiquA cl-dassous.

10X

14X

18X

22X

2SX

aox

12X

IfX

aox

a4x

28X

32X

riar

e
ge

ure,

]

Th« eopy fllmMl hcra has baan raproduead thanka
to tha ganaroaity of:

Uniwtrsity of British Columbia Library

Tha imagaa appaaring hara ara tha baat quality
poaaibia conaidaring tha condition and lagibility
of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha
filming contract specifications.

Original copies in printed papar covers ara filmed
beginning with the front cover and ending on
the leat page with a printed or illustrated imprea-
ston, or the beck cover when appropriate. All
other original copies ere filmed beginning on the
first page with a printed or iiiustrsted impres-
sion, end ending on the lest pege with a printed
or iiiuatrated impreasion.

The last recorded freme on eech microfiche
shell contain the symbol — ^- (meaning "CON-
TINUED"), or tha symbol y (meening "END"),
whichever applies.

Maps, plates, cherts, etc., mey be filmed et
different reduction retios. Those too ierge to be
entirely Included in one exposure ere filmed
beginning In the upper left hend corner, left to
right and top to bottom, as many frames as
required. The following diegrems illurtrata the
method:

L'exemplaira film* fut reproduit grice A la
g*n4rosit4 da:

Univartity of British Columbia Library

Lee images sulventes ont 4t* reproduitas evec le
plus grand soin, compta tenu de le condition et
de la nettet* de I'exempleire film*, et en
conformiti avac las conditions du contrat da
filmege.

LAS exempieires originsux dont le couvarture an
papier est ImprimAe sont fllmis en commenpant
par le premier piet et en terminant soit par la
dernMre page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impreasion ou d'iliustration, soit par le second
plat, salon le cas. Tous las eutres exempieires
origlnaux sont fiimis an commandant par la
pramiAre page qui comporte una empreinte
d'impression ou d'iilustretion et an terminant par
ie dernlAra pege qui comporte une telle
empreinte.

Un des symboles suivants apparaltra sur la
darniAre image de chaque microfiche, salon le
ces: le symbols — »> signifie "A SUIVRE", la
symbols V signifie "FIN".

Les cartas, planches, tableaux, etc., pauvant Atra
filmAs A das taux de rAduction diff Arents.
Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atra
reproduit en un seul clichA, ii est f ilmA A partir
de I'angia supArieur (isuche. da gauche A droita.
at de heut en bas. an pranant la nombre
d'images nAcessaira. Las diagrammas suivants
iilustrant la mAthoda.

f :

XLVI. An Account of that Part <?/ America,
rMch is neareji to the Land of K^mt-
chatka ; extraBed from the Defcriptton
of Kamtchatka by Profejfor KraOienni-
cofF, printed at Peterfturg, in two Vo-
lumes, 4to. in 1759; ^«^ tranflated and
communicated by the Rev. D. Dumarefque,
£). D, Chaplain to the Englifti FaBory at
Peterfburg.

CHAPTER

Of America.

Read Jan. 24,

1760

ALthough we have no exad and cir-
cumftantial accounts of America,
which lies eaft of Kamtchatka, for which reafon,
the defcription of that country might be deferred to
the time, that the voyage to America at the Kamt-
chatka expedition, will be publiflied; nevertheleft

Q^qq 2 ^°^

1478]

for the fake of regularity, and that the reader may
flill have fome notion of all the countries, that are in
the neighbourhood of Kamtchatka, we are going to
communicate here, what is colled:ed in the memoirs
of Mr. Steller, in different places.

The continent of America, which now is known
from 52 to 60° of north latitude, extends from the
fouth-weft to the north-eaft, every-where almoft
at an equal diftance from the Kamtchadalian fhores,
viz. about 37"* longitude : for the Kamtchadalian
fhore, alfo, from the Kurilian Lopatka [the (hovel *J
to cape Tchukotfki, in a ftrait line (except where
there are bays and capes), lies in the very fame di-
rection. So that one has grounds to infer [from
thence], that thofe two lands were once joined, efpe-
cially in thofe parts, where lies cape Tchukotfki : for,
between that and the coafl, that projefts, which is
found at the eaft, diredly over-againfl it, the di-
flance does not exceed two degrees and a half,

Steller brings four arguments to prove this :

1 . The flate of the fhores, which, both at Kamt-
chatka and in America, are ragged [broken, cragged].

2. The many capes, which advance into the fea,
from 30 to 60 verfles.

3. The many iflands in the fea, which feparate
Kamtchatka from America.

4. The fituation of thofe iflands, and the incon-
fiderable breadth of that fea.

As to the refV, we leave this to the confideration
[or judgment] of more fkilful perfons: fufficient it

* The words included between the [ ] are added by way of
illuftration, or elfe are, for the moft part, the literal tranflation of
the Rufs.

will

[ 479 ]

will be for us, barely to relate what was obferved
round about thofe parts.

The fea, which divides Kamtchatka from Ame-
rica, is full of iflands, which [lying] over-agaiiilt
the fouth-weft end of America, extend [as far asj to-
wards the ftreights of Anian, in fuch an uninterrupted
feries [row, order], as the Kurilian iflands do [as far
as] towards Japan. That row of iflands is found be-
tween 51 and 54"^ latitude, and lies diredly eafl ;
and it begins not farther than 5 degrees from the
Kamtchadalian fliore.

Steller thinks, that Company's-land is to be found
between the Kurilian and the American iflands (which
many doubt of), if one [fetting out] from the fouth-
weil extremity of America, advances fouth-weft :
for, in his opinion, Company's-land muft be the bafe
of a triangle [which it forms] with the Kurilian and
the American iflands ; which feems not to be defti-
tute of ft'undation, if Company's-land be rightly laid
down on the maps.

The American land is in a much better ftate, with
regard to the climate, than the farthermoft eaftern
part of Alia, though it lies near the fea, and has,
every-where, high mountains, fome of which are
covered with perpetual fnows; for that [country],
when its qualities are compared to thofe of Alia,
has, by far, the advantage. The mountains of [that
part of] Afia are, every-where, ruinous and cleft
[broken]; from whence they have, long fince, loft
their coniiftency, they have loft their inward warmth;
upon which account, they have no good metal [of
any kind] ; no wood, nor herbs, grow there, except
in the vallies, where is feen fmall [brufh-] wood and

ftiff

[480]

lliff herbs. On the contrary, the mountains of Ame-
rica are firm, and covered, on the furface, not with
mofs, but with fruitful earth [or mould] ; and there-
fore, from the foot to the very top [of them], they
are decked with thick and very line trees. At the
foot of them grow herbs proper to dry places, and
not to marfliy ones ; befides that, for the moft part,
thofe [plants] are of the fame largenefs and appear-
ance, both on the lower grounds, and on the very tops
of the mountains; by realon, that there is every-where
the fame inward heat and moifture. But in Afia,
there is fo great a difference between them, that, of
one kind of plants growing [there], one would [be
apt to] make feveral kinds, if one did not obferve
a rule, which holds generally, with regard to thofe
places [^7x^.], that in lower grounds herbs grow twice
as large as thofe ofi the mountains.

In America, even the fea-fliores, at 60" latitude,
are woody; but in Kamtchatka, at 51° latitude, no
place fet with fmall willows and alder-trees is found
nearer than 20 verftes from the fea: plantations [or
woods] of birch-trees, are, for the moft part, at [the
diftance of] 30 verftes; and, with regard to pitch-
trees, on the river Kamtchatka, they are at the di-
ftance of f o verftes, or more, from its mouth. At
62°, there is no wood at Kamtchatka.

In Steller's opinion, from the afore- mentioned la-
titude of America, the land extends as far as 70°,
and farther; and the chief caufe of the above-faid
growth of woods in that country is the cover and
ftielter it has from the weft. On the other hand,
the want of this [of wood] on the Kamtchadalian
ftiores, cfpecially on the fliore of the Penftiinian fea,
J doubt-

[ 48i ]

doubtlefs, comes from a {harp north wind, to which
it is much expofed. That thofe parts, which lit; from
the Lopatka, farther to the north, are more woody
and fruitful, is owing to cape Tchukotfki, and the land
that has been obferved over-againft it, by which thofc
[parts] are {heltered from the fliarp winds.

For this reafon, alio, fifli comes up the rivers of
America earlier than thofe of Kamtchatka. The
20th of July, there has been obferved a great plenty
of fifli in thofe rivers j whilft at Kamtchatka, it is
then but the beginning of an abundant fifliery.

Of berries, they faw there an unknown kind of
rafberries, which bore berries of an extraordinary big-
nefs and tafte. As to the reft, there grow in that
country black-berries [with feveral other kinds of
berries, called in Rufs, jimdloft, golubitjh, brtifnitfa,
zndfiikfia], in as great plenty as at Kamtchatka.

There are creatures enough, good for the fupport
of the inhabitants of thofe parts ; particularly feals,
fea-dogs, fea-beavcrs, whales, * cams carcharias^
marmottes [marmot t a minor'\y and red and black
foxes, which are not fo wild as in other places, pof-
fibly becaufe they are not much chaced [hunted].

Of known birds, they faw there magpies, ravens,
fea-mews [-f- urili], fea-ravens, fwans, wild duck?,
jackdaws, woodcocks, % Greenland pigeons, and

* In Rufs, akul, or mokoia\.\n bignefs, it is inferior to the
whale ; and it is like it in this, that it ca(h no fpawn, but brings
forth young ; upon which account, Ibme recicon it a fpecies of
wnale. IJefcript. p. 308. I ft vol.

t Uril, corvus aquaticus maximus, criftaceus, periophthalniiis
cinnabarinis, poftea canditlis.

X Columba Groenlandica, Batavorum, hiovfr, vel kaiour.

* mitcha^-

[ 482 ]

* mitchagatki i other wife called northern ducks.
But, of unknown birds, they obferved more than
ten forts, which it was not difficult to diftinguifli
from European birds, by the livelinels of their co-
lours.

With regard to the inhabitants of thofc parts, they
are fuch a wild people, as the Koriaki and Tchuktchi.
As to their perfons, they are well fet, broad and
ilrong ihouldered. The hair of their head is black,
and flrait, and they wear it loofe. Their face is
tawny [brown], and flat as a plate ; their nofe is
flat, but not very broad j their eyes are as black as
jet ; their lips thick j their beard finall i and their
neck fliort.

They wear fliirts with fleeves, which reach lower
than the knee ; and they tye them up, with thongs
of leather, below the belly. Their breeches and
boots [which are made] of the fkins of feals, and
dyed with alder, much refemble the Kamtchadalian.
They carry, at their girdles, iron knives, with
handles, fuch as [are thofe] of our boors. Their
hats are platted [matted] of herbs, as with the Kamt-
chadalians, without a [rifing] top, in the (hape of
an umbrella j they are dyed in green, and in black,
with falcon's feathers, in the fore-part, or with [fome]
herb, combed, as if it were a plume of feathers, fuch
as the Americans ufe about Brafil. They live upon fifli,
fea animals, and the fweet-herb, v^'hich they prepare
after the Kamtchatka manner. Befides this, it has
been obferved, that they have alfo the bark of poplar,

* Mtchas:atkaf alca monachroa fulcis tribus, circo duplici utrin-
que dependente. Anas ardica cirrata.

[ 483 ]

or of the pine-tree, dried, wJiich, in cafe of neceflity,
is made ufe of as food, not only at Kamtchatka, hut
likevvife throughout all Siberia, and even ir» RufTia
itfelf, as far as Viatkaj alfo fea weeds made up into
bundles, which, in look and in flrength, s^re like
thongs of raw leather. They are unacquainted witli
fpirituous liquors and tobacco ; a fure proof, that,
hitherto, they have had no communication with t\ye
Europeans.

Tliey reckon it an extraordinary ornament, to
bore, in feveral places, the lower parts of the cheekis,
near the mouth j and in [the holes] they fet fome
ftones and bones. Some wear, at their noftrils, flate
pencils, about four inches long ; fome wear a bone
of that bignefs, under the lower lip ; and others a
iike bone on the forehead.

The nation, that lives in the iflands round about
cape Tchukotfki, and frequents the Tchutchi, is,
certainly, of the fame origin with thofe people : for
with them alfo it is thought an ornament [thus] to
inlay [ingraft] bones.

Major Panlutfkoi, deceafed, after a battle, which
he once fought againft the Tchutchi, found, among
the dead bodies of the Tchutchi, two men of that ,
nation, each of whom had two teeth of a fea-horfe under
the nofe, fet in holes made on purpofe : for which rea-
fon, the inhabitants of that country call them Ztthatiii
[toothed]. As the prifoners reported, thefe [men]
did not come to the afliftance of the Tchutchi, but
to fee how they [ufed to] fight with the Ruflians.

From this, it may be inferred, that the Tchutchi
converfe with them, either in the fame language, or,
at leaft, in languages of fo great affinity, that they

Vol,. LI. R r r can

[ +84 ]

can underftand one another, without an interpreter }
confequently, their language has no fmall refem-
blance with that of the Koriaki : for the Tchukot-
chian comes from the Koriat.<kian [language], and
differs from it only in the dialed : nevertheleis, the
Koriatfkian interpreters can (peak with them, with-
out any fort of difficulty. With regard to what Mr.
Steller writes, that not one of our interpreters could
underhand the American language, poffibly, that
comes from the great difference in the dialedt, or
from a difference of pronounciation ; which is ob-
ferved, not only among the wild inhabitants of Kamt-
chatka, but alfo among the European nations, in
difFer.ent provinces. In Kamtchatka, there is hardly
any Imall * ofirog^ but what the fpeech there differs
[fomewhat] from that of another that lies neareft.
As for thofe fmall qftrogSt which are at fome hun-
dreds of verfles from one another, thofe can no
longer underfland each other, without [fome]
trouble.

The following remarkable refemblances between
the American and the Kamtchadalian nations, have
been obfervcd : . .

1 . That the Americans refemble the Kamtchadales
in the face.

2. That they eat the fweet-herb, after the fame
manner as the Kamtchadales 3 [a thing]) which never
was obferved any-where elfe.

* O/lrojiOf a fmall ofirog, is a place fenced and fortified with a
jiallifadc, made of trees, fixed perpendicularly in the ground, and
XJit fliarp at the top : fometimes they are Dcams laid over each
•ther. V/lruif in Rufs, fignifies ibarp.

That

. C +85 ]

3. That they make ufe of a * wooden machine
[inftead of a tinder-box], to light fire with*

4. That, from many tokens, it is conjeftured,
that they ufe axes made of ftones, or of bones : and
it is not without foundation, Mr. Steller thinks, that
the Americans had once a communication with the
people of Kamtchatka.

f. That their cloaths and their hats do not differ
from the Kamtchadalian.

6. That they dye the ikins with alder, after the
Kamtchatka manner.

Which marks (hew it to be very poflible, that
they came from the fame race. This very thing, he
rightly judges, may help alfo to folve that queftion,
" Whence came the inhabitants of America ? " For
though we (hould fuppofe, that America and Afia
were never joined j nevcrthelefs, confidering the near-
nefs of thofe two parts of the world at the north,
no one can fay, that it was impradicable for people
from Afia to go over to fettle in America j efpecialiy,
as there are iflands enough, and at fo fmall a diftance,
which might facilitate not a little fuch a paflage [in
order to fettle].

Their armour for war is a bow and arrows.
What kind of a bow it is, we cannot fay> as it did
not happen [to our people] to fee any ; but their
arrows are much longer than the Kamtchadalian,
and greatly refemble the Tungufian and Tartarian
[arrows]. Thofe, which came in the way of our
people, were dyed black, and planed fo fmooth, that

* See Defcription of Kamtchatka.

Rrr t

they

[ 486 ]

they left no room to doubt of [the Americans] having
alfo iron toolft-

The Americans fail upon the fea in canoes made
of ikins, in the fame manner as the Koriaki and the
Tchutchi. * Their canoes are about two fathoms
[14 feet] long, and about two feet high. The fore-
part of thtm is fliarp j and they are flat-bottomed.
Their inward frame confifts of fticks, which are
linked together at both ends, and in the middle are
preiled outwards, in a rounding [a belly], with crofs-
fticks [which keep the fides at a proper diftancel.
The fkms, which they are covered with, all around,
feem to be thofe of fea-dogs, dyed of a cherry colour.
The place where the Americans fit is round, about
two arfhines [4 feet 8 inches] from the poop j there
is fowed upon it the ftomach [of fome great fifii],
which one may gather and loofen as a purfe, with
the help of thongs of leather, pafled through fmall
holes at the edge. An American, fitting in that
place, ftretches his legs, and gathers round him the
flomach [above-mentioned], that water may not fall
into the canoe. With one oar, fome fathoms long,
they row on both fides alternately, with fuch a pro-
greffive force, that contrary winds are but a fmall
hindrance to them ; and with fo much fafety, that
they are not afraid to go upon the water, even whilil
the fea rifes in terrible furges. On the contrary, they
look with fome terror upon our larger veflels, when
they are tofled, and advife thofe, who fail in them,
to beware, left their vefl!els fiiould be overfet. This
^

* See the two figures, in ift vol. of the Defcription of Kamt-
chatka, over agaiuft page 128,

happened

t 487 3

happened to the boat Gabriel, which, fome years
fince, was going to cape Tchukotfki. As to the
reft, their canoes are fo light, that they carry them
with one hand.

When the Americans fee [upon their coafts]
people, whom they do not know, they row towards
them, and then make a long fpeech : but it is not
certain, whether this is by way of a fpell [or charm],
or fome [particular] ceremony ufed at the reception
of ftrangers : for both the one and the other are in
ufe among the Kurilians. But before they draw near,
they paint their cheeks with black lead, and fluff
their noftrils with [fome] herb.

When they have guefts, they appear friendly ; they
like to converfe with them, and that in an amicable
manner, without taking off their eyes from them :
they treat them with great fubmiflion, and prefent
them with the fat of whales, and with black lead,
with which they ufed to befmear their cheeks, as
was before obferved j doubtlefs from a notion, that
fuch things are as agreeable to others, as they are to
themfelves.

With regard to the navigation about tbofe parts,
it is fafe [enough] in fpring and in fummer ; but in
autumn it is fo dangerous, that hardly a day palTes,
but one has reafon to fear being fliipwrecked : for
they [the Ruffians fent upon the fea expedition] ex-
perienced fuch a violence of winds and llorms, that
even perfons, who had ferved forty years at fea, af-
fured, with an oath, that they never liiw fuch in their
lives.

The marks, by which they obferve there [in that
fea] that land is near, are, particularly, the following

confider-

[ 488 J

condderable ones: i. When there appears a great
quantity of different kinds of the [fo called] fea-
cabbage, fwimming upon the water. 2. When one
fees the herb, of which, at Kamtchatka, they platt
tloaks, matts, and bags; for it grows only on the
fea-lhores. 3. When there begin to appear, at fea,
flights of fea-mews, as well as droves of fea animals,
fuch as fea-dogs, and the like : for though fea-dogs
have a hole open at the heart, which is called fora^
men ovaUy and a dudt called duSius arteriojus Botalli,
and, upon that account, may remain long under
water, and, confequently, go to fome diflance from
the fhore, without danger, inafmuch as they can, at
a greater depth, find food proper for them : never-
thelefs, it has been obferved, that they feldom go
farther than ten [German] miles from the fhore.

The furefl fign, that land is near, is, when there
are feen Kamtchatka beavers, which live only upon
crabs, and, from the make of their heart, cannot be
under water above two minutes [at a time] j confe-
quently, they cannot get food at tne depth of 100 fa-
thoms, or indeed at a much lefTer depth j upon which
account, they alfo breed always near the fhore.

It remains flill to fpeak of fome iflands nearefl to
Kamtchatka, which are not found in a (Irait line
with the above-mentioned, but north of them 5 efpe-
cially of Berings illand, which now is fo well known
to the inhabitants of Kamtchatka, that many of them
go thither, to catch fea-beavers, and the like fea
animals.

That ifland extends from the fouth-eaft to the
north-wefl, between ff and 60°. Its north-eafl end,
which lies almofl diredly over-againfl the mouth of

the

[489]

the river Kamtchatka, is at about two degrees di-
ftance from the eaflern (hore of Kamtchatka : and
its fouth-eaft end is about three degrees from cape
Kronotfki. This ifland is 1 65 verftes long j but its
breadth is unequal. From the fouth-eafl end to a
rock, which hangs perpendicularly over the fea, and is
at 14 verftes diftance from that end, the breadth of
the ifland is from 3 to 4 verfles : from that deep
rock to Suiputchei bay, it is fverftes: from Suiput-
chei bay to Beaver's fteep rock, it is 6 verftes: at
Whale's-ftream, it is 5 verftes ; but from thence
farther on, it grows gradually broader. Its greateft
breadth [•u/z.], 23 verftes, is over-againft the north
cape, which lies 1 1 j verftes from the above-men-
tioned end.

In general, it may be faid, that the length of that
ifland is fo difproportioned to its breadth, that our
author doubts, whether there can be, in other parts
of the world, any iflands of fuch a fhape ; at leafl, he
never heard nor read of any fuch : and he adds, that
the iflands, which they faw about America, and all
the rows of them, lying to the eaft, have the like
proportion.

This ifland confifts of a ridge of rocks, which is
divided by many vaUies, that llretch to the north
and to the fouth. Its mountains are fo high, that,
in clear weather, one may fee them from about half
the diftance between the ifland and Kamtchatka.
The inhabitants of Kamtchatka, of old times, thought,
that there muft be [fome] land over-againft the mouth
of the river Kamtchatka, by reafon that [the fky] ap-
peared there always cloudy, though it were never fo
clear every-where elfe about the horizon.

The

[ 490 ]

The higheft mountains [of the iflarid] do riot
meafurc above 2 verftes in a perpendicular.

[Here follows a defcription of this barren rocky
ifland, of which the following four pages are not to
our prefent purpofe. Then, at page 136, the account
proceeds thus :]

The fouth-weft fide of the ifland is of a quite dif-
ferent nature [from the other, as to accefs] : for tho'
the fliore [there] is more rocky and craggy, yet there
are two places, by which, in flat-bottomed boats,
fuch as are the * tfcJoerbotui, one may not only land
on the {hore, but even advance as far as a lake, by
the fl:reams [that flow from it]. The firfl: of thefe
places is at 50 verftes, and the other at 1 1 f , from
the fouth-eaft end of the ifland.

This laft place is very remarkable from the fea ;
for the land there goes rounding from the north to
the weft ; and, at the very promontory, there runs a
ftream, which is the largeft of any in that ifland ;
and, vvhen the water is high, its depth is not lefs
than 7 feet. It runs from a great lake, which lies
a verfte and a half from its mouth : and becaufe that
ftream grows deeper, the farther it is from the fea,
therefore one may conveniently go upon it in boats
as far as the lake : and upon the lake there is a fafe
ftation ; for it is furrounded with rocky mountains,
as with a wall, and ftieltered from all winds. The
chief mark, by which one may know this ftream
from the fea, is an ifland, which is about 7 verftes
in circumference, and lies to the fouth at 7 verftes
diftance from the mouth of the ftream. The ftiore

* Large canoes, or boats, fomewhat refembling ferry-boats.

from

[ 491 }

from thence towards the weft, is fandy and low
for 5 verftes. Round the fhores, there arc no rocks
under water; which one may know from thence,
becaufe there are no * eddies [breakers].

From the higheft rocks of that illand, one fees
the following lands : at the fouth, two iflands, one
of which meafures about 7 verftes in circumference,
as was obferved before ; but the other is over-againft
the very end of Berings ifland, at the fouth- weft: it
confifts of two high and cleft rocks, of about three
verftes in circumference, and is at 14 verftes diftaiice
from Berings illand.

From the north-eaft end of Berings ifland, in clear
weather, one may fee, to the north-eaft, very high
mountains, covered with fnow, and their diftance
may be computed at 100 or 140 verftes. Thofe
mountains our author thought, with better grounds,
to be a cape of the continent of America, than an
ifland : i . Becaufe thofe mountains [allowing forj
confidering their diftance, were higher than the
mountains on the [neighbouring! iflands. 2. Becaufe
that, at a like diftance towards the eaft, one obferves
plainly, from the ifland, fuch like white mountains,
from the height and extent of which all judged that
it was the continent.

From the fouth-eaft end of Berings ifland, they
faw, to the fouth-eaft alfo, another ifland, but not
very clearly: it feemed to lie between Berings ifland
and [fome] low part of the continent.

From the weft and the fouth-weft fides, it was
obferved, that, even in clear weather, there is a per-

* la German, Irennung.

S ss

petual

[ 492 ]

petual fog above [higher up than] the mouth of tHe
river Kamtchatka j and from thence, in fome mea-
fure, they came to know the inconfiderable diftance
of the land of Kamtchatka from Berings ifland.

North of the fo often mentioned Berings ifland,,
there is another ifland, in length from 80 to 100
verlles, which lies parallel to it, /". e, from the fouth-
eaft to the north-weft. The ftreights between thefe
twoiflands,at the north-wefl, meafure 20 verftes, and
at the fouth-eaft about 40. The mountains upon it
are low^er than the ridge [of mountains] in Berings
ifland. At both ends of it, there are, in the fea,
many rocks at [low] water mark, and perpendicular
rocks like pillars.

With regard to the weather, it diflfers from that
at Kamtchatka only in this, that it is l ore fevere and
fliarp : fbr the ifland has no flicker from any quarter j,
and, befides that, it is narrow, and without woods.

Moreover, the force of the winds increafes to fuch
a degree, in thofe deep and narrow vallies, that one
can fcarce ftand upon one's legs. In February and
April months, were obferved the iharpeft winds,
which blew from the fouth-eaft and from the north-
weft. In the former cafe, the weather was clear,
but tolerable; but in the latter cafe, it was clear, in-
deed, but extremely cold.

The higheft rifing of the water happened in the
beginning of February month, during north-weft
winds : the other inundation was in the middle of
May, occafioned by great rains, and by the fudden
thawing of the fnows. Neverthelefs, thofe floods
were moderate, in comparifon with thofe, of which
there [ftill] remained undoubted marks : for there

have^

[ 493 3

have been carried many trees, and whole ikeletons
•of fea animals, to the height of 30 fathoms, or
more, above the furface of the fea [above the com-
mon water mark, or level] : from which our author
judges, that, in the year 1737, ^^^^^ happened,
likewife, here [in this ifland] fuch an inundation as
that at Kamtchatka.

Earthquakes happen [here] feveral times in the
year. The moft violent, that was obferved, was in
the beginning of February, which, during a weflerly
wind, lafted exadlly fix minutes j and before it was
heard a noife, and a ftrong wind, under ground,
with a hiffing, which went from fouth to north.

Among mineral things, which are found in that

ifland, one may reckon, as the moft remarkable, the

•fine waters, which, upon account of their purenefs

and lightnefs, are very wholfome : and this virtue of

them was obferved upon fick people, with advantage,

and the defired fatisfa^ion. With regard to the plen-

tifulnefs of them, there is not a valley but what has a

ilream running through it j and the number of them all

. together exceeds fixty ; among which there are fome,

which are from 8 to i a fathoms broad j and fome

are two, and fome even 5 fathoms deep, when the

.water is high; but there are few fuch, and the greater

part of them is extremely fhallow at the mouth ; be-

caufe that they have a very rapid courfe, on account

of the fteep flopes of the vallies, and that near the

fea they divide into many rivulets.

Sss 2

<p!ication

Page
6.

Ibid,

[ 494 3

Explication ofjome Wordu 'wljtch occur in the Reife-

Befchreibung, ^c,

Promyfchleni properly fignifies thofe, that
make a trade or profeflion of hunting in

Siberia.
Go/linna fotna^ the merchants of the firlt

clafs in Ruflia.
Semeon Iwamw fin Defcbnew. When the
Ruffians fpeak of a man o ' quality, they
add to his Chriftian name that of his fa-
ther ; ex, gr, Simon Ivanowitfch Defchneff-,
but if of a common man, they fay, as
here, Simon Ivanoff fin (/. e, fon of)
'Dcjchneff, Simon the fon of John Defch-

Cofacke. The Cofacks are properly the fol-
diers, of whom confifts the Ukrain militia,
or that of the neighbourhood of the Don.
Thefe laft began the conqueft of Siberia.
Their pofterity is ftill employed in raifing
the taxes laid on the Siberian nations, which
have fubmitted to the Ruffian empire.

Zimmer, is a bundle of furs, confifting of

40 Ikins.
Simowie [zimovie], properly, is an habita-
tion, or quarters, for the winter; a.hutor
huts, built haftily, in fome defert place,
in order to fpend a winter there. When
the number of thofe huts has fo increafed,
as to become a village, it has often ftiU
retained the old name of zimovie, Ztma,

in Ruffian, is winter.

Ofirog.

Ibii

II.

tmmmm

Page

11.

14-

19.

34.
16.

J7-
33-

Uid.

34.
Ibid.

Ibid.

40.

[ 495 ]

Oflrog. See page 484 above.

Karte, a kind of fmall Hedge, very light,
drawn by dogs. See the reprefentation of
it in the Dcfcription of Kamtchatka.

Werchnei, nifchnei, ferednky bolfche j thefe
words fignify, high, low, middle, and
greater; as werchnei Oftrog, the upper

Oftrog, &c. , o • /-

Swaetoi, fignifies holy, famt j as Swaetot nofs,

cape Holy.
Piaetidejaetnifs, an officer, who has 50 men
under his command, and who may be
called a lieutenant. In Rufs, pietdenat is

fifty- r c

Woewood is the governor of a town, ot a

diftridt, or of a province.
Stolnik was an officer, formerly, who fet

the diffies upon the tfar's table. Stol, a

tablie.
Knjacs, a prince.
Dworaen^ a gentleman.
Uft, mouth. UJi Jam, the name of a place

fituated at or near the mouth of the river

iSTo/i, cape, promontory, nefs, neefe. The
The proper fignification of the word is

nofe.

^chikiti, fewed, {lom Jchit, to few.

Werfie, an itinerary meafure in Ruffia, con-
fiding of 500 fajem, or fathoms, each of
which makes 7 feet Englifli.

[496]

t.\

page
4.3.

Sin bojarjkoi^ a title which is confckTcd, in
Siberia, upon low people, in order to raife
them to a degree nearer to that of a noble
or a gentiihomme,

59. Viel/rafs, a German word, which fignifies a
glutton. It is a wild beaft of a fmall lizc,
about the bignefs of a fox, but more rc-
fembling a bear. This creature, called in
French ghutofiy is extremely voracious,
from whence it had its name.

J!)iJ, SteinfuchSy is a kind of fox.

86. Bdidar, canoe.

3iJ, Nejel, a nettle, in general, in German ; here
a kind of nettles, of which a particular fluff
is made.

Ibid, ^ Levkajhenuiu pofudUy fignifies a vefTel or pot

linea I made of /^uto, a kind of alabafler. Here

penul'^ it probably was intended to exprefs China

tima, J ware, or porcelaine,

Rietgrafsy a German word, iignifying the

fame as bamboo.
yudomjkoi krefty Judoma's-^crofs, the name
of a village near the river Judoma, in a
place on which was ereded a crofs, when
it was firfl difcovered.

Ihid, Beljkoi penwofsy ^he ferry of Bela.

Ibid, "I

linea ?JitiJnot\ foutherly, to the fouth.

penult. 3

143. Krepofiy fignifies a caflle, or a fort.

Jbid, Sawody a manufadory, or fabrique.

Ibid, Wojkrejenjkei, belonging to the refurredion.

€?0

121.

[ 497 ]

Page
i6S'

Plotbtfcht/che, the place where are built the

(plotui) floats, or fmall boats.
i8i. Buxiretii a German word, which fignifics to

tow, to take in tow.
182. Dannen (or tannen) kmfpe^ the buds of lir-

trees.
151. Buiko'wjkoi muis, parvum promontorium bo-

i)inum.

linea I Read korova /fiorjkaia, the fea-cow.
antcp. 3

/•^°6 ?^^^ viforotki.,

?49' JRead kotui morfiie, fea-cats.

Guba, a gulf, or bay.

Matrofs, a failor.

Nova Zemla, l<iQW Lznd, Terra Nova,

Gorodocky a fmall town, oppidulum.
Sloboda, See the introdudtion to the Atlai

Rujjicusy in which many Ruflian name^j of

places, ^c, are explained.

XLVII. Re-^