oàober ^le '^an<^ ’ where they always met with a hearty welcome.
— — i This fettlement confifted o f a dwelling-houfe, and two ftore-
houfes. And, befides the Ruffians, there was a number o f
the Kamtfchadales, and o f the natives, as fervants, or flaves>
to- the former. Some others o f the natives, who feemed independent
o f the Ruffians, lived at the fame place. Such o f
them as belonged to the Ruffians were all mates- and théÿ
are taken, or, perhaps, purchafed from their parents when
young. There was, at this time, about twenty o f thefe,
who could be looked upon in no other ligh t than as children.
T h e y all live in the fame houfe ; the Ruffians at the upper
end, ffie Kamtfchadales in the middle; and the natives at
the lower end where is fixed a large boiler fo r preparing
their food, which conflits chiefly o f what the feat produces,
with the addition o f w ild roots and berries, There is little
difference between the firft-and Taft table, befides what is
produced by cookery, in. which the Ruffians have the art to
make indifferent things palatable. I have eat whale ’s fleih
o f their dreffing, which I thought very good ; and they
made a kind o f pan-pudding o f falmon roe, beaten up fine,
and fried, that is no bad fuccedaneum for bread. T h e y may,
now and then, tafte real bread, or have a difh in which
flour is an ingredient;, but this, can only be an occafional
luxury. I f we except the ju ice o f berries, which they
fip at their meals, they have no other liquor befides pure
water ; and it feems to be very happy for them that they have
n othing flronger.
As the ifland fupplies them with food, fo it does, in a great
meafure,. with clothing, This confifls chiefly o f flans’, ‘ and
is, perhaps,, the bell. they, could.have. T he upper garment
is made lik e ou r waggoner’s-, frock, and. reaches as low as.
the knee, Befides this, they wear a waiftcoat or two, a pair
i- of
o f breeches ; a fu r cap ; and a pair o f boots,, the foies and trts.
upper leathers o f which are o f Ruffian leather ; but the legs ^°--°-cr ■
are made o f fome kind o f ftrong gut. The ir two Chiefs,
Ifmyloff and Ivanovitch, wore each a calico froek ; and
they, as w e ll as fome others, had fhirts, which were o f filk.
Thefe, perhapb, were the only part o f their drefs not made
amongft themfelves. 1
There are Ruffians.fettled, upon all the principal iflands-
between Oonalaihka and Kamtfchatka, for the lb!c purpofe
o f collecting furs. T he ir great object is thè fea beaver or
otter. I never heard them inquire-after any other animal ;
though thofe, whofe ikins are o f in ferior value, áre álfo
made part o f their cargoes'. Í never thought to aik how
long they have had a fettlement ujron Oonalaihka, and the .
n eighbouring ifles ; but, to ju d g e from th e great fubjeétion
the natives are under, this cannot be o f a ve ry late date*. A ll
thefe furriers are relieved, from time to time, by others;
Thofe w e met w ith arrived here from Okotfk, in , 1776, and
are to return in 1781; To that their flay at the ifland will be
four years at leaft.
It is n.ow time to giv e fome account Of the native inhabitants.
To all appearance, they are the mofl peaceable, inof-
fenfive people, I ever met with. And, as to hon'efty, they
might ferve as a pattern' to the mofl civilized nation upon
eartlr. But, from what I faw Of their neighbours, with
whom the Ruffians have ' no eóinneítión, I doubt w he ther
this, was their original difpofition ; and' rather think
that it h a s "b e en ’ the confequence o f ‘ their prèfènt flate
o f fubje&ion. Indeed, i f fome o f our gentlemen did
* T i e Ruffians began to frequent Oonalaihka in 1 762, See Coxe’s RuJpan D ifcs—
veries,, ch. vili. p. 80..
noti