G II A. P. II., ,
General idea .of the commerce'carried on to the New Discovered
IJlands.— Equipment of the vefiels.-— Rifts o f the •
trade; profits, & c .
Q IN C.E the conclufion of Beering’s r voyage, which
^ was made at the. expence of the crown, the profecu-
tion o f the New Difcoveries began hy him. has. been., al-
moft entirely carried, on by individuals.. Thefe perfons
were principally merchants of Irkutlk, Yakutlk, and other
natives of Sibe.ria, who formed themfelves into fmall
trading companies, and fitted out; vefiels at. their joint,
expence.
Equipment ot Moft of the vefiels which are rt veiais. _ ' . equipped-for thefe expeditions
are two mailed : they are commonly built without
iron, and hr general fo badly conftrufted, that it is
wonderful how they can weather fo ftormy a fea. They,
are called in Ruffian Skitiki or fewed vefiels, becaufe the
planks are fewed together with thongs of leather. Some
few are built in the river of Kamtchatka; but they are
for-the moft part conllrufted at the haven o f Ochotlk.
The largeft of thefe vefiels are manned with feventy men,
and the fmalleft with forty. The crew generally confifts
of an equal number of Ruffians and Kamtchadals. The
5 latter
latter .occafion a confiderable faving, as their pay is
finalL;. they .alio refill:, more eafily than the former,
the attacks of the fcurv.y. But, Ruffian mariners are
.more enterprifing and more to be depended upon in
time of danger than the others; fome therefore are
unavoidably necefiary, „
The expenoes of building and fitting out the vefiels
are very, -confiderable : for there is. nothing at Ochotlk
hut timber for their conftruftion. Accordingly cordage,
fails, and fome provifions, muft be brought from Yakutlk
upon horfes.. The dearnefs of corn and flour,
which muft be tranfported from the diftridls lying about
the river Lena, renders it -impoffible to lay-in any
large quantity for the . fiibfiften.ce of the crew during
a voyage, which commonly lafts three of four years.
For this reafon no more is provided, than is necefiary
to fupply the Ruffian mariners with quafs and other
fermented liquors.
From the exceffive fearcity o f cattle both at Ochotlk
and * Kamtchatka very little provifion is laid in at
either of thole places.; but the crew provide themfelves
*T n 1772 there'were only 570 Head o f cattle upon the whole Penin-
fula. A cow fold from 50 to 60 Roubles, an ox from 60 to 100. A
pound o f frelh beef fold upon an average for 12} copecs. The excef-
live dearnefs o f this price will be eafily - conceived, when it is'known,
that at Mofcow a pound o f beef fells for about three copecs. Journ.-
St. Peterfb.
Expences a
tending this
tradci