•779- the fummer, Oilober may be confidered as an autumnal
O&ober. .
t.— *— • month, from rhence, till the middle o f June, it is perfect
winter. It was toward the end o f May that we made our
journey, between Bolcheretik and Awatika, over the fnow
in fledges.
It is faid that the climate, in the country adjoining to the
river Kamtfchatka, is not lefs ferene and temperate, than in
many parts o f Siberia that are under the fame latitude. This
variation is probably owin g to the fame caufes, to which the
fuperior fertility o f the foil in thofe parts has been before
attributed. But it is not in the fterility o f the ground alone
that the Kamtfchadales fe e l the unfavourable temperature
o f their climate. T h e uncertainty o f the fummer fea-
fon fomedmes prevents their la yin g up a fufBcient flock o f
dried ££h for their winter’s provifion, and the moifture o f
the air caufes worms to breed in them, w hich not unfre-
quently deftroy the greateft part.
I do not remember that we had either thunder or ligh tning
during our flay, excepting on the night o f the eruption
o f the volcano; and, from the account o f the inhabitants,
they are very feldom troubled with ftorms o f this kind, and
never but in a .flight degree. T h e general feverity o f the
winter, as well as the dreadful hurricanes o f wind and fnow
that feafon brings along with it, cannot be queftioned, from
the fubterraneous habitations the natives are under a necef-
fity o f retiring to, for warmth and fecurity. Major Behm
told us, that the cold and inclemency o f the winter o f 1779
was fuch, that, for feveral weeks, all intercourfe between
the inhabitants was intirely flopped, every one being afraid,
to ftir even from one houfe to another, for fear o f being
froft-bitten. This extraordinary rigour o f climate, in fo low
a laa
latitude, may be accounted for, from its being fituated to
the Eaft o f an immenfe uncultivated tradt o f country, and 1---- ,—
from the prevalence o f the Wefterly winds* blowing over fo
extenfive and cold a continent. T h e extraordinary violence
and impetuofity o f the winds, is attributed to the fubterraneous
fires, the fulphureous exhalations, and the general
volcanic difpofition o f the country.
T h is peninfula abounds in volcanos, o f w hich only three
have, fo r fome time paft, been fubjedt to eruptions. We
have already mentioned that which is fituated in the neighbourhood
o f Awatika. Befides this, there are others not
lefs remarkable, according to the account given o f them by
Krafcheninicoff.
The volcano o f Tolbatchick is fituated on a neck o f ground
between the River o f Kamtfchatka and Tolbatchick. T he
mountain, from the fummit o f which the eruptions proceed,
is o f a confiderable height, and terminates in pointed
rocks. In the b eginning o f the year 1739, there ifiued from
it a whirlwind o f flames, w h ich reduced to afhes the forefts
o f the neighbouring mountains. This was fucceeded by a
cloud o f fmoke, which fpread over, and darkened the whole
country, till it was diflipated b y a fhower o f cinders, that
covered the ground to the diftance o f thirty miles. Mr.
Krafcheninicoff, who was at this time on a journey from
Bolchoireka to the Kamtfchatka ofirog, at no great diftance
from the mountain, relates, that the eruption was preceded
by an alarming found in the woods, which he thought the
forerunner o f fome dreadful ftorm or hurricane, till three
ihocks o f an earthquake, at about a minute’s interval each,
convinced him o f its real cau fe; but that he was hindered
from approaching nearer the mountain, by the cin-
U u 2 ' ders