The pay of the soldiers or Cossacs is fifteen roubles a year. The

officers sent by government to so distant a country, receive double

salaries.

The peninsula of Kamtschatka, when major Behm presided at Bolcheretsk,

was under the jurisdiction of the government general of Irkoutsk.

Upon the departure of this governor, whom the English saw upon

their first arrival in 1779, captain Schmaleff was deputed in his

room, and enjoyed for a year the power and satisfaction of doing

good to the inhabitants, who entertain for him an equal respect and

gratitude. M. Renikin supplied his place in 1780, and was recalled

in 1784 for reasons which I am obliged to suppress. At this period

the Kamtschatka department was reunited to that of Okotsk. The chiefs

and officers of the different ostrogs have since been subject to

the orders of the governor at Okotsk, and to the decisions of its

courts of justice; these are themselves subordinate and accountable

to the governor general residing at Irkoutsk. The present commanding

officer, or governor, at Bolcheretsk, which was formerly the capital of

Kamtschatka, is now merely a sergeant; the name of the person I left

there was _Rastargouieff_, and he had been nominated to the office by

M. Kasloff.

The governors in these various ostrogs are not accountable to one

another for their administration, not even inferior officers to their

superiors; the authority of each is limited to the inhabitants of his

own district; which has doubtless induced the empress to appoint an

inspector general, _capitan ispravnick_, whose business is to visit

every year all the Kamtschadale villages, receive their complaints,

examine their differences, judge them, and punish such as are guilty;

in short to maintain order and peace among them. It is also a duty of

his function to encourage commerce, particularly their fishing and

hunting, to inspect the regular payment of their tribute, the stock

of provisions of each individual for his own support, and that of his

family, the repairs of the bridges and roads, which unfortunately

are very few, and kept in very bad order. In a word, the inspector

general should consider it as incumbent upon him to introduce among

these people the manners and customs of Russia. This important office

was confided, in 1784, to baron de Steinheil, who fixed his residence

at Nijenei. Affairs calling him elsewhere, he was succeeded by M.

Schmaleff, who, in accompanying us, was making the tour of his office.

The government is not purely military; there are some tribunals

established for hearing and deciding causes and other matters

juridically. Such are the tribunals of Tiguil, Ingiga, and

Nijenei-Kamtschatka; they are subject to the jurisdiction of the court

of Okotsk, in the same manner as in Russia the magistrates of the

subordinate towns hold from those of the capital, in whom the final

decision rests. There is beside at Bolcheretsk a kind of consular

jurisdiction, or vocal tribunal, called in Russia _Slovesnoisoud_. The

judges are merchants; they take cognizance of all disputes relating to

commerce, and their decisions are either confirmed or annulled by the

court to which they are carried by appeal. The Russian code of laws is

the only one that is attended to; it is too well known to require that

I should enter into particulars; and I could only repeat what has been

already related by various historians and travellers better informed

upon the subject than myself.

I ought however to add, that the property of the Kamtschadales

devolves, of course, upon their decease, to the next heir, or to

whomsoever it is bequeathed. The will of the testator is equally

respected, and as literally adhered to, as it could be with those

nations of Europe who are most scrupulous on the subject of successions.

Divorces are neither practised or allowed among the Kamtschadales. The

Russians seem to court their alliance, though it procures them no

particular privilege. Their motive is obvious. By frequent marriages,

it is possible that before the end of the present generation, the race

of the indigenes may be totally extinct.

The penalty of death, abolished in all the dominions of the empress,

is never inflicted in Kamtschatka. In their earliest migrations, the

Russians, when accused of harassing the natives, were condemned to the

knowt; the Kamtschadales also, for various offences, were liable to

this cruel punishment; but it is no longer practiced. When the natives

are guilty either of petty or capital offences, the punishment is

whipping. It may be questioned whether they have gained by the change.

The present mode of punishing them being more simple and expeditious,

it is resorted to with less scruple, and is liable to frequent abuse.

The Kamtschadale idiom appeared to me to be uncouth, guttural, and

difficult to be pronounced; the words are broken, and the sounds

disagreeable. There are as many different dialects and accents as there

are ostrogs. For instance, upon leaving Saint Peter and Saint Paul,

we are astonished to hear a different jargon at Paratounka: this is

the case with villages the nearest to one another. Notwithstanding

these variations of idiom, I considered it as incumbent upon me to

procure a vocabulary, which will be found at the end of my journal. I

shall add to it the Koriac, the Tchouktchi, and the Lamout languages.

My attention to the subject was unremitted, and I received very

considerable assistance. I shall finish the article of my abode at

Bolcheretsk, with some observations that will tend to prove the

impossibility of my leaving it sooner.

Towards the end of November the cold became on a sudden so severe,

that in a few days the rivers were all frozen, even the Bolchaïa-reka,

which seldom happens, because of the extreme rapidity of its current.

The next day it got rid of the ice that covered it, and from that time

I saw no more stop before Bolcheretsk, lower than the house of the

governor. Though frozen in various places, it presents a great number

chasms, where the water is seen to flow as usual.

On each shore of the peninsula, there is a sensible difference in the

atmosphere. During the fine weather, a drought prevailed at Saint Peter

and Saint Paul's, whereas at Bolcheretsk they complained of frequent

showers; meanwhile autumn had not proved this year more rainy than

common. Very heavy rains are injurious in this country, because they

occasion floods, which drive the fish from the rivers; a famine most

distressing to the poor Kamtschadales is the result, as it happened

last year in all the villages along the western coast of the peninsula.

This dreadful calamity occurs so frequently in this quarter, that the

inhabitants are obliged to abandon their dwellings, and repair with

their families to the borders of the Kamtschatka, where they hope to

find better resources, fish being more plentiful in this river. M.

Kasloff had intended to proceed along the western coast, having already

made his visit through the east; but the news of this famine determined

him, contrary to his wishes, to return, rather than be driven to the

necessity of stopping half way, or perishing with hunger from the

difficulty of procuring dogs and provision.

The wind varied considerably during my residence at Bolcheretsk; it

was most commonly west, north-west, or north-east; it blew sometimes

from the south, but seldom from the east. The south and west winds

are almost invariably attended with snow. Scarcely a week passed, even

to the month of January, without our experiencing two or three violent

tempests; they commonly proceeded from the north-west. These gales of

wind lasted always a day or two, and sometimes seven or eight days.

It would have been the height of imprudence to venture out at such a

season. The sky was completely obscured, and the snow, supported by

these whirlwinds, formed in the air a thick fog, that prevented us

from seeing at the distance of six yards. Woe to all travellers who

are exposed to this terrible weather! necessity compels them to stop,

or they run the risk of losing themselves, or of falling every moment

into some abyss; for how is it possible they should find their way, or

advance a step, when they have to resist the impetuosity of the wind,

and to disengage themselves from the heaps of snow that suddenly

encompass them? If such be the dangers encountered by the men, what

must we suppose the poor dogs to suffer. Nothing is more common, when

overtaken by these hurricanes, than to find ourselves separated from

the sledges of our companions, to the distance of two wersts or upwards

from each other, and proceeding in an opposite direction[62].

The frequency of these tempests, and the deplorable accidents they

occasion, convinced us of the necessity of deferring our departure.

M. Kasloff was equally as impatient to arrive at the place of his

destination, as I was to continue my journey, that I might execute

my commission with the diligence that had been recommended to me;

but every one whose advice we asked, condemned our eagerness, and

proved particularly as to myself, that, entrusted with such important

dispatches, it would be rashness to proceed. This reflection pacified

me. M. Kasloff anticipated my wishes, by giving me a certificate,

accounting for my long residence at Bolcheretsk, by a relation of

the circumstances that had occasioned it. The gales of wind having

at length ceased towards the middle of January, we eagerly set about

preparing for our departure, which was fixed for the 27 of that month.

We furnished ourselves in the best manner we could with brandy, beef,

rye, flour, and oatmeal. A considerable quantity of loaves were

prepared for us, of which we reserved some to supply us during the

first few days of our journey, and the rest were cut into thin slices

and baked in an oven like biscuits: what was left of our flour, we put

into sacks as a resource in time of need.

M. Kasloff had ordered that as many dogs as possible should be

collected. Multitudes were presently brought from all the neighbouring

ostrogs; we had also provision for them in abundance, the only

difficulty was how we should carry it. We had resolved to set off early

in the morning of 27; but when we came to load our sledges, we found

our baggage so considerable, that, in spite of the number of hands

employed, it was not completed till the evening. We were out of humour;

no day in my life ever appeared so tedious. Vexed at the delay, we

would not defer our departure till the next day, and were no sooner

informed that every thing was ready, than we ran to our sledges and

were out of Bolcheretsk in a moment.

We started at seven o'clock. It was moonlight, and the snow added

to its brightness. Our departure merits a description. Conceive of

our numerous cavalcade amounting to thirty-five sledges[63]. In the

first was a sergeant of the name of Kabechoff, who was appointed

to superintend and direct our procession. He gave the signal, and

instantly all these sledges set off in file. They were drawn by three

hundred dogs[64] of equal courage and speed. Presently the line

was broken, the order disturbed, and all was confusion. A spirited

emulation animated the conductors, and it became as it were a chariot

race. It was who should drive fastest; no one was willing to be

outstripped; the dogs themselves could not bear this affront; they

partook the rivalship of their masters, fought with one another to

obtain the precedence, and the sledges were overturned, frequently

at the risk of being dashed to pieces. The clamour of those who were

overturned, the yelping of the struggling dogs, the mixed cry of those

that proceeded, and the confused and continual chattering of the

guides, compleated the disorder, and prevented us both from knowing and

hearing one another.

To enjoy this tumult the more at my ease, I quitted my sledge where I

was imprisoned, and placed myself in a smaller one, in which, beside

the pleasure of driving myself, I could see what was passing around me.

Fortunately no accident happened, and I had no reason to repent of my

curiosity. This embarassment was chiefly occasioned by the concourse

of the inhabitants of Bolcheretsk, who, from attachment as well as

respect, were desirous of accompanying M. Kasloff to Apatchin[65],

where we arrived about midnight: the distance of Bolcheretsk from this

ostrog is forty-four wersts.

A few moments after our arrival a tempestuous wind arose, which would

greatly have incommoded us, if it had happened during our route. It

continued the rest of the night and all the next day, which we were

obliged therefore to spend at Apatchin.

Here we received the last adieux of the inhabitants of Bolcheretsk. I

was struck with their gratitude and attachment to M. Kasloff, and the

regret they expressed at leaving him, as well as their concern for me,

and the interest they took in the success of my journey. I was the more

pleased with their attentions, as I had observed while at Bolcheretsk,

that the French nation was not held in any high esteem by them; they

had even so bad an opinion of us, that it was with difficulty they

were brought to believe what had been told them of the politeness and

cordiality of the crews of the French frigates to the inhabitants

of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. In proportion however as they heard

their countrymen extol our conduct, their prejudice grew weaker. I

endeavoured by my conversation and behaviour to destroy it entirely. I

dare not flatter myself to have succeeded; but it appeared to me that a

complete change at last took place in their sentiments respecting us.

The disadvantageous impression which they had imbibed of the character

and genius of our nation, originated in the perfidy and cruelty

exhibited in the person of the famous Beniowsky in this part of the

peninsula. This slave called himself a Frenchman, and acted like a true

Vandal.

His history is known. During the troubles of 1769 he served in Poland

under the colours of the confederates. His intrepidity induced them to

make choice of him to command a medley troop of foreigners, or rather

robbers, like himself, whom they kept in pay, not from choice but

necessity. With Beniowsky at their head, they ransacked the country,

massacring every one they met. He harassed the Russians, to whom he was

as formidable as to his own countrymen. They soon felt the necessity

of getting rid of so dangerous an enemy: he was taken prisoner, and

it may be supposed they adopted no very lenient measures respecting

him. Banished to Siberia, and afterwards to Kamtschatka, his fiery

and vindictive genius accompanied him. Escaped from the mountains of

snow, under which the Russians supposed him to be buried, he suddenly

made his appearance at Bolcheretsk with a troop of exiles, to whom he

had imparted a spark of his own audacity. He surprised the garrison

and took possession of the arms; the governor, M. Nilloff, was killed

by his hand. There was a vessel in the port; he seized it: every one

trembled at his aspect; all submitted to his will. He compelled the

poor Kamtschadales to furnish him with the provisions he demanded; and

not content with the sacrifices obtained, he gave up their habitations

to the unbridled licentiousness of his banditti, to whom he set the

example of villainy and ferocity. He embarked at length with his

companions, and sailed, it was said, towards China, carrying with

him the execrations of the people of Kamtschatka. This suppositious

Frenchman was the only one they had yet seen in the peninsula; and from

such a specimen of our nation, they certainly could not love, and had

sufficient reason to fear us.

M. Schmaleff quitted us at break of day, and set off for Tiguil, on

the western coast, to complete the visit of his government[66].

We left Apatchin almost at the same time. Our retinue being less

numerous we made more expedition. Having passed the plain in which this

ostrog is situated, we met the Bolchaïa-reka, upon which we journeyed

for several hours. We followed it through all its windings, sometimes

in the middle of a forest, and sometimes at the foot of steep and

dreary mountains, which arise at intervals on its banks. Fifteen wersts

from Malkin we left this river, because the current began to put in

motion the ice which was broken in different places; and before we

reached this ostrog, we crossed the Bristraïa. We arrived about two

o'clock. The distance from Apatchin is sixty-four wersts, and having no

change of dogs, we were obliged to stop, to give them time to rest.

The toyon of Malkin came to meet M. Kasloff, and offered him his isba.

Considerable preparations had been made for our reception, which

induced us to pass the night there. He treated us with the utmost

respect, and entertained us in the best manner he could. I regretted

that his cares had not extended to the article of our repose. Mine

was terribly interrupted by the noise of our steeds, to which I was

not yet accustomed. The shrill and incessant howlings of these cursed

animals, seemed close at my ears, and prevented me from sleeping during

the whole night. It is necessary to have heard this nocturnal music,

the most disagreeable I ever experienced, to judge of what I suffered

in habituating myself to it; for in the course of my journey I was

obliged to learn to rest in defiance of it. After a few bad nights,

sleep at last overpowered me, and I was insensible to all noise. By

degrees I became so inured to the cries of these animals, that I could

repose in the midst of them in perfect tranquillity. I shall mention in

this place, that the dogs are only fed once a day, at the end of their

journey; their repast consists commonly of a dried salmon distributed

to each of them.

The ostrog of Malkin is similar to those which I have already

described. It contains five or six isbas and a dozen balagans, is

situated upon the border of the Bistraïa, and surrounded with high

mountains. I had no time to visit the hot springs that are said to be

in this neighbourhood, the waters of which are strongly impregnated

with sulphur; and one in particular, issuing from the declivity of a

hill, forms at the bottom a bason of tolerably clear water.

From Malkin we went to Ganal, which is forty-five wersts, but we were

unable to travel with the speed we had expected. The Bistraïa was not

completely frozen, and we were obliged to wind about and to cross

woods, where the snow, though deep, was so far from firm, that our dogs

sunk to their bellies, and were extremely fatigued. This induced us to

abandon this road, and make again for the Bistraïa. We came up to it

at ten wersts from Ganal, and found it in the state we had wished. The

solidity of the ice promised us expeditious travelling, and we readily

embraced the advantage. We followed this river till we came to the

ostrog which is upon its bank, and consists of four isbas and twelve

balagans. It offered nothing remarkable.

We only learned that there had been some very terrible hurricanes, and

that they had not yet subsided, though their force was considerably

diminished. There is no difficulty in accounting for the violence of

these tempests. The surrounding high mountains form so many recesses in

which the wind is embayed. The fewer avenues it has to escape at, the

more impetuous it becomes: it seeks out a passage, rushes through the

first that offers, breaks out in whirlwinds, scatters the snow over the

roads, and generally renders them impassable.

Having spent a very indifferent night in the house of the toyon of

Ganal, we set off the next day for Pouschiné. The distance is ninety

wersts, which however we performed in fourteen hours; but the last half

of the journey was very painful. No road being opened, our sledges sunk

three or four feet in the snow, and the jolts were so frequent, that I

was happy to escape with being only once overturned. We judged from the

snow upon the trees, that it must have proceeded from the north, and

been very heavy, which was confirmed by the inhabitants. Our road lay

invariably through a forest of birch trees, and for some time we lost

sight of the mountains, by which we had passed the preceding evening;

but as we drew nearer to Pouschiné they became visible again.

The Kamtschatka runs by the lower end of this ostrog, which is larger

than that of Ganal. The only thing I remarked in this place was, that

the isbas had no chimneys; they have only, like the balagans, a narrow

opening in the roof to let out the smoak, which is frequently closed up

by a trap door to confine the heat. It is not possible to continue in

apartments warmed in this manner; we must either come out, or prostrate

ourselves on the floor, if we would escape being stifled, or at least

blinded, by the smoke: it does not ascend directly towards the roof,

but spreads a thick black cloud over the chamber; and as it seldom has

time wholly to evaporate, the interior part of these isbas is lined

with soot, which gives them a disgusting aspect and a most offensive

smell.

But it is still less unpleasant than the noisome odour exhaled from a

dismal lamp, that serves as a light to the whole house. Its form is

not of the most elegant kind: it is simply a hollow pebble or stone,

with a rag rolled up in the middle for a wick, round which is placed

the grease of the sea wolf, or other animals. As soon as the wick is

lighted, we are immediately surrounded with a dark and thick vapour,

which contributes equally with the smoke to blacken the whole room:

it seises the nose and throat, and penetrates to the very heart.

This is not the only disagreeable smell that is experienced in these

habitations; there is another, in my opinion, much more fetid, and

which I never could endure; it is the nauseous exhalation from the

dried and stinking fish, when it is preparing, when they are eating it,

and even after it is eaten. The refuse is destined for the dogs; but

before the poor animals get it, every corner of the room has been swept

with it.

The persons who inhabit these dwellings exhibit a spectacle equally

disgusting. Here is a group of women, shining from the fat with which

they smear themselves, and wallowing on the ground amidst a heap of

rags; some of them suckling their children, who are half naked, and

bedaubed with filth from head to foot; others devouring with them

some scraps of fish perfectly raw, and frequently putrid. There we

see others in a dishabille that is not less filthy, lying upon bear's

skins, chattering to one another, and frequently altogether, and

employed in various domestic occupations, in expectation of their

husbands.

Fortunately the houses of the toyons were cleaned as well as possible

for the reception of M. Kasloff, who had always the kindness to let me

lodge with him.

We slept at Pouschiné in the house of the toyon, and departed very

early the next morning; we only travelled this day thirty four wersts.

It seemed that the farther we advanced, the more the roads were

obstructed with the snow. My two conductors were continually employed

in keeping my sledge upright, to prevent it from overturning, or

going out of the road; they were obliged also to exert their lungs

to encourage the dogs, who frequently stopped, notwithstanding the

blows that were bestowed upon them with equal profusion and address.

These poor creatures, whose strength is inconceivable, had all the

difficulty in the world to disengage themselves from the snow, which

covered them as fast as they shook it off. It was frequently necessary

to smooth it before them, to enable them to extricate the sledge. This

also was the office of my guides. To support themselves upon the snow,

they each fastened a racket to one of their feet, and in this manner

they slid along, resting now and then their other foot upon the skate

of the sledge. I doubt whether any exercise can be more fatiguing, or

require greater strength and skill.

The ostrog of Charom, at which we had the good fortune to arrive, is

situated upon the Kamtschatka: it furnished me with no remarks. We

passed part of the night there, and left it before day.

In seven hours we reached Vercknei-Kamtschatka, which is thirty-five

wersts from Charom. Vercknei is a very considerable place, compared

with the ostrogs I had hitherto seen. I counted more than a hundred

houses. Its situation is commodious, and the prospect round it

tolerably various, Besides bordering upon the river[67], it has the

farther advantage of being near to woods and fields, the soil of which

is good, and begins to be cultivated by the inhabitants. The church is

built of wood; its architecture is not disagreeable, and it is only to

be wished that the inside corresponded with the external appearance.

The inhabitants differ in no respect from those of the other villages.

For the first time I saw at this place a species of buildings, about

the height of a balagan, that serve no other purpose than to dry fish.

A serjeant had the command at Vercknei, who lives in a house belonging

to the crown.

This village is also the place of residence of the unfortunate

Ivaschin, whose history I related upon my leaving Saint Peter and Saint

Pauls[68]; he was of our party, and had only quitted us in order to

arrive sooner at Vercknei, where his first care had been to kill one

of his oxen, which he entreated us to accept for our journey, as a

testimony of his gratitude. This proceeding justified the concern I

felt for him, whose aspect alone made me more than once shudder at the

idea of his misfortunes. I cannot easily conceive how he was able to

support them, and reconcile himself to his fate: it must have been the

consciousness of his innocence alone, that could have given him such

strength of mind. We paid him a visit upon our arrival. He was drinking

merrily with some of his neighbours. His joy was sincere, and gave us

no intimation of a man sensible of his past sufferings, or weary of his

present situation.

Our stay at Vercknei was short; we set out after dinner in order to

sleep at Milkovaïa-Derevna, otherwise called the village of Milkoff,

which was at the distance of fifteen wersts. In our way we passed

a tolerably large field inclosed with pallisades, and farther on a

_zaimka_, that is, a hamlet inhabited by labourers. These labourers

were Cossacs, or Russian soldiers, employed in the cultivation of land

on government account. They had eighty horses belonging to the crown,

and which equally answer the purposes of industry, and of the stud

established in this place for the propagation of animals so useful and

so scarce in the peninsula. About five hundred yards from this hamlet,

which is called Ischigatchi, upon an arm of the Kamtschatka, is a water

mill built of wood, but not very large. No use could at present be

made of it. The swell of water had been so great as to overflow the

sluice, and to spread itself over a part of the plain where it was

frozen. The soil appeared to be good, and the country round it to be

very pleasant. I questioned the Cossacs upon the productions of their

canton, where I conceived every species of corn might be cultivated

with success. They told me that their last harvest had, both in

quantity and quality, surpassed their hopes, and was not inferior to

the finest harvests in Russia: two pouds of corn had produced ten.

Arrived at Milkoff, I was astonished no longer to see either

Kamtschadales or Cossacs, but an interesting colony of peasants whose

features and address told me they were not a mixed breed. This colony

was selected in 1743, partly in Russia and partly in Siberia, among

the primitive inhabitants, that is, among the husbandmen. The view

of administration, in sending them into this country was, that they

might clear the land and make experiments in agriculture; hoping that

their example and success would instruct and encourage the indigenes,

and induce them to employ their labours in this advantageous and

necessary art. Unfortunately their extreme indolence, which I have

already described, little corresponded with the wise intentions of

government; and so far are they from pretending to any rivalship, that

they have never derived the smallest advantage from the examples that

are before their eyes. This extreme sluggishness of the natives is

the more painful to an observer, as he cannot but admire the industry

of these active emigrants, whose labours have been attended with such

beneficial effects. Their habitations, situated upon the Kamtschatka,

seem to shew that they live at their ease. Their cattle thrive well

from the great care they take of them. I observed also that these

peasants had in general very much the air of being contented with

their situation. Their labour is profitable, and not excessive. Every

man plows and sows his field, and having only his capitation to pay,

he reaps abundantly the fruit of his exertions, which a fertile soil

repays him with usury. I am convinced that greater advantages might be

derived from this source, if the cultivators were more numerous. The

harvest consists chiefly of rye, and a very small quantity of barley.

This colony has nothing to do with the chace. Government extended its

cares so far as to prohibit it, that their labours might be wholly

devoted to agriculture, and that nothing might divert their attention.

The prohibition however, I could perceive, is not very scrupulously

observed. Their chief is a _staroste_, appointed by administration,

and selected from the old men of the village, as the name implies. His

business is to inspect the progress of agriculture; to preside over

their feed time and their harvest, to fix the precise period when they

are to take place; in short, to stimulate the negligence, or encourage

the zeal of the labourers, and particularly to maintain the spirit of

the establishment and a good understanding among them.

Being desirous of going to Machoure, to spend a day with the baron de

Steinheil, I left M. Kasloff at Milkoff, and set out twenty four hours

before him, that I might occasion no delay in his journey. To travel

with the greater expedition I made use of a small sledge. The roads

were no better or less obstructed with snow than what we had before

experienced, and I was therefore unable to make the speed I intended,

notwithstanding my precaution. The first village I came to was Kirgan.

Before I reached it, I passed a number of houses and balagans that

appeared to be deserted, but I was informed that the summer regularly

brought back every year their proprietors. The few habitations which

compose the ostrog of Kirgan, are built upon the border of a river

called Kirganik, which is formed by a variety of streams that issue

from then neighbouring mountains, and unite above the ostrog, fifteen

wersts from Milkoff.

The cold was so severe, that notwithstanding the precaution I took

of covering my face with a handkerchief, my cheeks were frozen in

less than half an hour. I had recourse to the usual remedy, that of

rubbing my face with snow, and was relieved at the expence of an acute

pain that continued for several days. Though my face was thus frozen,

the rest of my body experienced the contrary effect. I conducted my

own sledge; and the continual motion which this exercise requires,

added to the weight of my Kamtschadale dress, threw me into a violent

perspiration, and fatigued me extremely.

My dress merits a particular description; by which it will be seen

that it gave me no very alert appearance. Commonly I wore merely a

simple parque of deers skin, and a fur cap, which upon occasion would

cover my ears and part of my cheeks. When the cold was more piercing,

I added to my dress two _kouklanki_, a kind of parque that was larger

and made of thicker skin; one of them had the hair on the inside,

and the other on the outside. In the severest weather, I put on over

all this, another kouklanki, still thicker, made of argali, or dogs

skin, the hairy side of which is always undermost, and the leather or

external surface of the skin painted red. To these kouklankis a small

bib is fixed before, so as to guard the face against the wind: they

have also hoods behind, which fall upon the shoulders. Sometimes these

three hoods, one upon another, composed my head dress, by being drawn

over my common cap. My neck was defended by a cravat called ocheinik,

made of sable, or the tail of a fox, and my chin with a chin-cloth made

in like manner of sable, and fastened upon my head. As the forehead

is very susceptible of cold, it was covered with an otter or sable

fillet, and this was covered again by my cap. My fur breeches gave me

more warmth than all the rest of my dress, complicated as it was. I had

double deer-skin spatterdashes, with hair on both sides, and which are

called in Kamtschatka _tchigi_. I then put my legs into boots made of

deers skins, the feet having an interior sole of _tounchitcha_, a very

soft grass, which has the quality of preserving heat, Notwithstanding

these precautions, my feet, after travelling two or three hours, were

very wet, either from perspiration or the gradual penetration of the

snow; and if I stood still for a moment in my sledge, they be came

immediately frozen. At night I took off these spatterdashes, and put on

a large pair of fur stockings made of deer or argali skin, and called

_ounti_.

Notwithstanding my fatigue, I made no stop at Kirgan. A few wersts

farther on, I perceived a volcano to the north, which emitted no

flame, but a column of very thick smoke ascended from it. I shall have

occasion to return this way, and will then speak of it more at large.

I observed near Machoure a wood of firs, tolerably bushy, and which

was the first I had seen in Kamtschatka. The trees were strait, but

very slender. At two o'clock in the afternoon I entered the village of

Machoure, which is upon the Kamtschatka, and thirty-seven wersts from

Kirgan.

I alighted at the baron Stenheil's, formerly _capitan ispravnick_,

or inspector of Kamtschatka, an office afterwards conferred on M.

Schmaleff. Our acquaintance had commenced at Bolcheretsk. I was

delighted to be able to converse with him in several languages,

particularly that of my own country, though it was not very familiar

to him; but it was French, and I conceived him to be my countryman.

Whoever has quitted Europe to travel in so distant a part of the

world must have had similar feelings. We consider every man as a

fellow-citizen who belongs to the same continent, or speaks the same

language. The most trivial circumstance that reminds us of our country,

is productive of a very sensible pleasure; the heart is eagerly drawn

towards the friend, the brother, whom we conceive we have found,

and feels an instant desire to repose in him all its confidence. The

sight of M. Steinheil imparted to me this delicious sensation. There

was in his conversation, from the very first moment, an irresistible

attraction. I felt a sort of craving to see him, to talk with him; it

had the effect of a charm, though his French, as I have said, was not

the most pure, and was pronounced with the German accent. I spent the

day of 4 February with the baron, and in the evening M. Kasloff arrived

as he had previously informed me.

The ostrog of Machoure, before the introduction of the small-pox, was

one of the most considerable in the peninsula; but the ravages of

this cruel disease, have reduced the number of inhabitants to twenty

families.

All the Kamtschadales of this village, men and women, are chamans, or

believers in the witchcraft of these pretended sorcerers. They dread

to an excess the popes or Russian priests, for whom they entertain

the most inveterate hatred. They do all they can to avoid meeting

them. This is sometimes impossible, and in that case, when they find

them at hand they act the hypocrite, and make their escape the first

opportunity that offers. I attribute this fear to the ardent zeal which

these priests have doubtless shown for the extirpation of idolatry,

and which the Kamtschadales consider as persecution. They accordingly

look upon them as their greatest enemies. Perhaps they have reason to

believe, that in wishing to convert them, the overthrow of their idols

was not the only thing these missionaries had in view. These popes

probably set them no example of the virtues upon which they declaim.

It is suspected that their object is the acquisition of wealth,

rather than of proselytes, and the gratification of their inordinate

propensity to drunkenness. It is not therefore to be wondered at that

the inhabitants retain their ancient errors. They pay a secret homage

to their god _Koutka_[69], and place in him so entire a confidence,

that they address their prayers exclusively to him when they are

desirous of obtaining any boon, or of engaging in any enterprise. When

they go to the chace, they abstain from washing themselves, and are

careful not to make the sign of the cross: they invoke their Koutka,

and the first animal they catch is immediately sacrificed to him. After

this act of devotion they conceive that their chace will be successful;

on the contrary, if they were to cross themselves, they would despair

of catching any thing. It is also a part of their superstition to

consecrate to Koutka their new-born children, who, the moment they

have left their cradle, are destined to become chamans. The veneration

of the inhabitants of this village for sorcerers can scarcely be

conceived; it approaches to insanity, and is really to be pitied; for

the extravagant and wild absurdities by which these magicians keep

alive the credulity of their compatriots, excites our indignation

rather than our laughter. At present they do not profess their art

openly, or give the same splendour they once did to their necromancy.

They no longer decorate their garments with mystic rings and other

symbolic figures of metal, that jingled together upon the slightest

motion of their body. In like manner they have abandoned the kind of

kettle[70], which they used to strike with a sort of musical intonation

in their pretended enchantments, and with which they announced their

approach. In short, they have forsaken all their magic instruments. The

following are the ceremonies they observe in their assemblies, which

they are careful to hold in secret, though not the less frequently on

that account. Conceive of a circle of spectators, stupidly rapt in

attention and ranged round the magician, male or female, for as I have

before observed, the women are equally initiated into the mysteries.

All at once he begins to sing, or to utter shrill sounds without either

measure or signification. The docile assembly strike in with him, and

the concert becomes a medley of harsh and insupportable discords. By

degrees the chaman is warmed, and he begins to dance to the confused

accents of his auditory, who become hoarse and exhausted from the

violence of their exertions. As the prophetic spirit is excited in

the minister of their Koutka, the animation of the dance increases.

Like the Pythian on the tripos, he rolls his ghastly and haggard

eyes; all his motions are convulsive; his mouth is drawn awry, his

limbs stiffened, and every distortion and grimace is put in practice

by him, to the great admiration of his disciples. Having acted these

buffooneries for some time, he suddenly stops, as if inspired, and

becomes now as composed as he was before agitated. It is the sacred

collectedness of a man full of the god that governs him, and who is

about to speak by his voice. Surprised and trembling, the assembly is

instantly mute, in expectation of the marvels that are to be revealed.

The self-created prophet then utters at different intervals, broken

sentences, words without meaning, and what ever nonsense comes into

the head of the impostor; and this is invariably considered as the

effect of inspiration. His jargon is accompanied either with a torrent

of tears or loud bursts of laughter, according to the complexion of

the tidings he has to announce; and the expression and gesture of the

orator vary in conformity to his feelings. I was furnished with this

account by persons entitled to credit, and who had contrived to be

present at these absurd revelations.

There seems to be some analogy between these chamans, and the sect

called quakers. The quakers pretend equally to inspiration, and there

are individuals among them, who, guided by its supposed impulse, hold

forth in their silent meetings, and break out in piteous lamentations,

or sudden starts of extravagant joy. The difference is this: these

prompt orators harangue extempore upon the subject of morality, whose

fundamental principles they endeavour to recommend; whereas the

Kamtschadale declaimers understand not a word of what they utter, and

only make use of their mysterious and hypocritical jargon to increase

the idolatry of their stupid admirers.

At Machoure the intelligence which M. Kasloff had before received

from Bogenoff, an engineer, was confirmed. He had been sent along the

river Pengina to fix upon a situation for a town, and trace the plan

of it, with directions to proceed afterwards by the western coast of

Kamtschatka as far as Tiguil, and make an exact map of the country as

he passed. On his arrival at Kaminoi[71], he told M. Kasloff that he

had met a considerable number of revolted Koriacs, who came out to

intercept his passage, and prevent him from executing his mission.

It was now added to the account, that they amounted to a body of six

hundred men, and that we should not probably be permitted to advance.

This was melancholy news, for me particularly, who longed to arrive

at Okotsk, as if it had been the end of my journey, or as if I could

thence reach France in a single day. How distressing the thought, that

there was no other way but through this village, and that I should

perhaps be obliged to turn back! My impatience made me shudder at the

very idea. M. Kasloff participated my feelings, and was of opinion with

me that the report ought not to stop us. It might not be accurate; the

narrators might have given it an air of importance, to which it was not

entitled; their fears might have magnified it; and each perhaps had

made some addition to the story. These considerations led us to doubt,

and we resolved to satisfy ourselves in person of its truth, thinking

it time enough to have recourse to expedients if the rebels were

actually to oppose our passage. We were presently encouraged by the

arrival of an express to M. Kasloff, who had met with no interruption,

and who assured us that every thing had the appearance of perfect

tranquillity.

At break of day I took leave of the baron de Steinheil, with equal

regret and gratitude for his kind reception, and the attentions he had

paid me during my short visit. His information and accomplishments

rendered him a truly interesting character[72].

We travelled this day sixty-six wersts upon the Kamtschatka, the ice of

which was very firm and perfectly smooth. I saw nothing remarkable in

my way, nor in the village of Chapina, where we arrived at sun-set.

We set off early the next morning, and found the snow very troublesome.

It was so thick upon the ground, that we were scarcely able to go on.

We journeyed all the day though very thick woods of fir and birch

trees. About half-way, and again farther on, we met two rivers, one

of which was very small, and the other sixty yards wide; it is called

the great Nikoulka. They are both formed by streams issuing from the

mountains, and uniting at this place to pay their tribute together to

the Kamtschatka. Neither of them was frozen, which I ascribed to the

extreme rapidity of their current. The spot where we passed them was

truly picturesque; but the most singular object was the numerous firs

that skirted these rivers, and which seemed like so many trees of ice.

A thick hoar-frost, occasioned perhaps by the dampness of the place,

covered every branch, and gave to the whole a bright and chrystalline

appearance.

At some distance from Tolbatchina we crossed a heath, from which I

could perceive three volcanos; none of them threw up any flames, but

merely clouds of very black smoke. The first, which I before mentioned

in going to Machoure, has its reservoir in the bowels of a mountain

that is not exactly of a conical shape, the summit being flattened

and but little elevated. This volcano, I was informed, had been at

rest for some time, and was supposed to be extinguished, but it had

lately kindled again. North-east of this is a peak, the top of which

appears to be the crater of a second volcano, which continually throws

up smoke, though I could not perceive the smallest spark of fire. The

third is north-north-east of the second; I could not observe it as

I wished, a high mountain intercepting almost entirely my view. It

derives its name from the village of Klutchefskaïa, near which it is

situated; and I was told that we should pass closer to it hereafter.

The two other volcanos are called in like manner after the ostrog of

Tolbatchina, where we arrived in good time. This village is upon the

Kamtschatka, forty-four wersts from Chapina, but it contains nothing

extraordinary. We were informed that there had been a Kamtschadale

wedding in the morning. I regretted the not having been present at

this ceremony, which, as I was told, is nearly the same as in Russia.

I saw the new married couple, who appeared to be two children. I asked

their age. The bridegroom was but fourteen, and the bride only eleven.

Such marriages would be considered as premature in any country except

Asia.

I had an extreme desire to see the town of Nijenei-Kamtschatka, and

had long thought how to satisfy it; to have left the peninsula without

visiting the capital, I should have considered as an unpardonable

fault. My curiosity did not interfere with my resolution of travelling

with all possible expedition. I was obliged indeed to make a circuit,

but it was not so far as to occasion a delay of any consequence. Having

concerted with M. Kasloff, who was anxious to procure every thing that

could render my journey agreeable and safe, I engaged to join him at

the village of Yelofki, where the arrangement of some affairs of his

government would detain him several days.

That I might lose less time, I took leave of him the evening of our

arrival at Tolbatchina. But the roads were still worse than any we

had yet met with. It was with the utmost difficulty I could reach

Kosirefski by break of day, a village sixty-six wersts from Tolbatchina.

I made no stay, elated with having happily escaped all the dangers that

beset me in so terrible a road, and in the darkness of the night[73].

I conceived that I had nothing to fear in the day, and proceeded with

a kind of confidence for which I was soon punished. After having

travelled a considerable number of wersts upon the Kamtschatka, which I

had been delighted to find again, and the width of which in this place

particularly struck me, I was obliged to quit it and enter a sort of

strait, where the snow, driven by the hurricanes, presented an uneven

and deceitful surface. It was impossible to see or avoid the rocks that

surrounded me. I presently heard a crack that told me my sledge was

damaged; it was in reality one of my skates broken in two. My guides

assisted me in adjusting it in the best manner we could, and we had

the good fortune to reach Ouchkoff without any other accident. It was

midnight, and we travelled this day sixty-six wersts. My first care was

to refit my sledge, which detained me till the next day.

There are in this village one isba, and eleven balagans; the number of

inhabitants is reduced to five families, who are divided into three

yourts. In the neighbourhood is a lake which abounds so much with fish,

that all the villages round resort to it for their winter stock. It is

also a considerable resource for the capital, which would otherwise be

almost destitute of a provision of the first necessity throughout the

peninsula.

I left Ouchkoff early in the morning, and at noon had travelled

forty-four wersts, partly upon the Kamtschatka, and partly across

extensive heaths. The first village I came to was Krestoff. It was a

little larger than the preceding ostrog, but similar in other respects

to what I had before seen. I only stayed to change my dogs. Hitherto I

had pursued the road which M. Kasloff was to take to get to Yelofki;

but instead of proceeding like him to Khartchina, I directed my course,

upon coming out of Krestoff, towards the village of Klutchefskaïa,

which is thirty wersts from it.

The weather, which, since our departure from Apatchin, had been very

fine, though cold, changed all of a sudden in the afternoon. The sky

became clouded, and the wind, which rose in the west, brought us a

heavy snow. It extremely incommoded us, and prevented me from examining

as I could have wished, the volcano of Klutchefskaïa, which I had seen

at the same time with those of Tolbatchina. As far as I could judge,

the mountain that carries it in its womb, is considerably higher than

the other two. It continually throws up flames, which seem to ascend

from the midst of the snow, with which the mountain is covered to its

very summit.

Upon the approach of night I came to the village of Klutchefskaïa.

The inhabitants are all Siberian peasants, from the neighbourhood of

the Lena, and were sent about fifty years ago into this part of the

peninsula to cultivate the land. The number of males, including men and

children, scarcely exceed fifty. The small-pox attacked only those who

had not before been affected with it; but it carried off more than one

half of them. These labourers are less happy than those who live in

the neighbourhood of Vercknei-Kamtschatka. The quantity and quality of

their last harvest, both rye and barley, exceeded their hopes. These

peasants have many horses belonging to them; in the mean time there are

some which are the property of government.

This ostrog is tolerably large, and appears the more so from being

divided into two parts, about four hundred yards from each other. It

extends principally from east to west. To the eastward is situated the

church, which is built of wood, and in the Russian taste. The majority

of houses are better constructed, and are more clean, than any I have

yet seen. There are also some considerable magazines. The number of

balagans is small, and they are very unlike those of the Kamtschadales;

their form is oblong, and their roof, which has the same declivity as

ours, rests upon posts, which support it in the air.

The Kamtschatka passes at the bottom of the ostrog; it is never

entirely frozen in this part. In summer it frequently overflows and

enters the very houses, though they are all of them built upon an

eminence.

Four wersts east of the church of Klutchefskaïa, is another _zaimka_,

or little hamlet, inhabited by Cossacs or labouring soldiers, whose

harvests belong to government: but I cannot get out of my way to

examine it.

I made a very short stay at Klutchefskaïa, my impatience to see Nijenei

inducing me to leave it the same evening in order to reach Kamini, a

Kamtschadale village, twenty wersts farther. I arrived at midnight, but

merely passed through it.

Before day I was at Kamokoff, twenty wersts from Kamini. I soon arrived

at Tchokofskoi, or Tchoka, which is twenty-two wersts farther. From

thence to Nijenei, the distance is the same, and I travelled it equally

in a few hours. I had the pleasure of entering a little before noon

into this capital of Kamtschatka, which is seen at a considerable

distance, but its appearance is neither striking nor agreeable.

It presents to our view merely a cluster of houses, with three steeples

rising above them, and is situated upon the border of the Kamtschatka,

in a bason formed by a chain of mountains that raise their lofty heads

around it, but which are however at a tolerable distance. Such is the

position of the town of Nijenei, of which I had a higher opinion before

I saw it. The houses, amounting to about a hundred and fifty, are of

wood, built in a very bad taste, small, and buried beside under the

snow, which the hurricanes collect there. These hurricanes prevail

almost continually in this quarter, and have only ceased within a few

days. There are two churches at Nijenei, one is in the town, and has

two steeples; the other belongs to, and is in the circuit of the fort.

These two buildings are wretchedly constructed. The fort is almost

in the middle of the town, and is a large palisaded enclosure of a

square form. Besides the church, the enclosure contains also the

magazines, the arsenal, and the guard-house: a sentinel is stationed

at the entrance both day and night. The house of the governor, major

Orleankoff, is near the fortress, and, its size excepted, is similar

to the rest of the houses; it is neither higher, nor built in a better

taste.

I alighted at the house of an unfortunate exile, named Snafidoff, who

had suffered the same punishment as Ivaschkin, nearly at the same time,

but for different causes: like Ivaschkin, he had been banished to

Kamtschatka ever since the year 1744.

I had scarcely entered, when an officer from M. Orleankoff came to

congratulate me upon my happy arrival. He was followed by many of the

principal officers of the town, who came one after another in the most

obliging manner to offer me their services. I expressed a becoming

sense of their civilities, but was mortified at their having taken me

by surprise. As soon as I was dressed, I hastened to return my thanks

to each of them separately. I began with major Orleankoff, whom I found

busily preparing for an entertainment that he was to give the next day,

upon the marriage of a Pole in the Russian service, with the niece

of the protapope, or chief priest. He had not only the politeness to

invite me to the wedding, but came to me in the morning, and conducted

me to his house, that I might lose no part of this spectacle, which he

rightly judged was calculated to interest me.

In the mean time what struck me most was the strictness of the

ceremonial. The distinction of rank seemed to be observed with the most

scrupulous delicacy. The formality, compliments, and cold civilities,

which opened the entertainment, gave it a starched air, that promised

more dulness than gaiety. The repast was the most sumptuous the country

could furnish. Among other dishes there was a variety of soups,

accompanied with cold meats, upon which we fed heartily. The second

service consisted of roasted dishes and pastry. The dinner had less

the appearance of sensuality than profusion. The liquors were the

produce of the different fruits of the country, boiled up and mixed

with French brandy. But a profusion of the brandy of the country,

made from the _slatkaïa-trava_, or sweet herb, which I have already

noticed, was almost continually served round in preference. This

liquor has no disagreeable taste, and is even aromatic; they use it

the more readily, as it is less unwholesome than the brandy distilled

from corn. The guests by degrees assumed an air of good humour. Their

heads were not proof against the fumes of so strong a beverage, and

soon the grossest mirth circulated round the table. To this noisy and

sumptuous feast a ball succeeded, that was conducted with tolerable

regularity. The company were gay, and amused themselves till the

evening with Polish and Russian country dances. The festival ended with

a splendid fire-work, that had been prepared by M. Orleankoff, and

which he himself let off. It was only a trifling one, but it had a good

effect, and left nothing to be desired. I enjoyed the astonishment and

extasy of the spectators, who were little accustomed to exhibitions of

this nature: it was a subject for a painter. Rapt in admiration, they

exclaimed in full chorus at every squib. The regret they expressed at

its short duration afforded me equal amusement. It was necessary to

attend to the extravagant encomiums that were unanimously bestowed upon

them; and on departing, every individual sighed over the remembrance

of all the pleasures of the day.

The next day I was invited to the house of the protapope, uncle to the

bride, where the entertainment was similar to that of the preceding

one, except the fire-work. I have already observed, that the protapope

is chief of all the churches in Kamtschatka. The clergy throughout

the peninsula are subordinate to him, and he has the decision of all

ecclesiastical affairs. His residence is at Nijenei. He is an old man,

not entirely deprived of his vigour, with a long white beard which

flows down upon his breast and gives him a truly venerable appearance.

His conversation is sensible, sprightly, and calculated to gain him the

respect and affection of the people.

There are two tribunals at Nijenei, one that concerns the governments,

and the other takes cognizance of all mercantile disputes. The

magistrate who presides in the latter, is a kind of burgomaster,

subject to the orders of the _gorodnitch_, or governor of the town.

We have already seen that each of these jurisdictions holds from the

tribunal of Okotsk, to the governor of which it is accountable for all

its proceedings.

But what most interested me at Nijenei, and what I cannot pass over

in silence, was my finding there nine Japanese, who had been brought

thither in the preceding summer, from the Aleutienne islands, by a

Russian vessel employed in the trade of otter skins.

One of the Japanese informed me, that he and his companions had

embarked in a ship of their own country, with an intention of visiting

the more southern Kurilles islands, for the purpose of trading with

the inhabitants. They directed their course along the coast, and were

at a small distance from it, when they were overtaken by a violent

gale, which carried them out to sea, and deprived them of all knowledge

where they were. According to his account, which however I did not

altogether believe, they beat about in the ocean for near six months

without seeing land; of course they must have had a plentiful stock

of provisions. At length they discerned the Aleutienne islands, and

transported with joy, they determined to make for that coast, without

well knowing in what part of the world it was. They accordingly cast

anchor near one of the islands, and a small shallop brought them to

land. At this place they found certain Russians, who proposed to them

to unlade their vessel, and remove it to a place of security; but

either from suspicion, or perhaps that they thought the next day would

be early enough, the Japanese peremptorily refused. They had soon

occasion to repent of their negligence. That very night there arose

a strong gale, during which their ship stranded; and as this was not

discovered till break of day, they had the utmost difficulty to save

a small part of the cargo, and some pieces of the vessel, which had

been almost entirely constructed of cedar. The Russians, who had before

treated them with civility, now exerted every effort in their power

to make these unfortunate people forget their loss. They at length

persuaded them to accompany them to Kamtschatka, whither they were

bound upon their return. My Japanese added, that they had at first been

much more numerous, but that the fatigues of the sea, and afterwards

the rigour of the climate, had taken off many of his companions.

My informer appeared to have over his eight countrymen a very

distinguished superiority; and he informed us that he was himself

a merchant, and the rest only sailors under his command. Certain it

is, that they entertain for him a singular veneration and friendship.

They are penetrated with grief, and shew the greatest uneasiness when

he is indisposed, or the least unfavourable accident has befallen

him. They regularly send twice a day one of their body to wait upon

him. His friendship for them may be said not to be less; not a day

passes without his visiting them, and he employs the greatest care

that they should be in want of nothing. His name is Kodaïl: his figure

has nothing in it singular, and is even agreeable; his eyes do not

project like those of the Chinese; his nose is long, and he has a beard

which he frequently shaves. He is about five feet in stature, and is

tolerably well made. At first he wore his hair in the Chinese fashion;

that is, he had a single lock depending from the middle of his head,

the rest of his hair round it being close shaved; but he has lately

been persuaded to let it grow, and to tie it after the French fashion.

He is extremely apprehensive of cold, and the warmest garments given

him are scarcely able to save him from it. Under these he constantly

wears the dress of his country: this consists in the first place of

one or more long chemises of silk, like our dressing gowns; and over

these he wears one of woollen, which seems to imply that this sort

of materials is more precious in their estimation than silk. Perhaps

however the circumstance arises from some motive of convenience, of

which I am ignorant. The sleeves of this garment are long and open;

and, in spite of the rigour of the climate, he has constantly his arms

and his neck uncovered. They put a handkerchief about his neck when he

goes abroad, which he takes off as soon as he enters a house, being, as

he says, unable to support it.

His superiority over his countrymen was calculated to make him be

distinguished; but this circumstance has less weight than the vivacity

of his temper and the mildness of his disposition. He lodges and eats

at the house of major Orleankoff. The freedom with which he enters the

house of the governor and other persons, would among us be thought

insolent, or at least rude. He immediately fixes himself as much at

his ease as possible, and takes the first chair that offers; he asks

for whatever he wants, or helps himself, if it be within his reach.

He smokes almost incessantly; his pipe is short, and ornamented with

silver; he puts into it a very small quantity of tobacco, which he

renews every moment. To this habit he is so much addicted, that it was

with difficulty they could persuade him to part with his pipe even

at meals. He is possessed of great penetration, and apprehends with

admirable readiness every thing you are desirous to communicate. He

has much curiosity, and is an accurate observer. I was assured that

he kept a minute journal of every thing he saw, and all that happened

to him. Indeed the objects and the customs he has an opportunity to

observe, have so little resemblance to those of his country, that

every thing furnishes him with a subject of remark. Attentive to

whatever passes, or is said in his presence, he puts it into writing,

for fear of forgetting it. His characters appeared to me considerably

to resemble the Chinese, but the form of writing is different, these

writing from right to left, and the Japanese from the top of the page

to the bottom. He speaks Russian with sufficient ease to make himself

understood; you must however be used to his pronunciation to converse

with him, as he delivers himself with a volubility that frequently

obliges you to miss something he says, or apprehend it in a wrong

sense. His repartees are in general sprightly and natural. He employs

no concealment or reserve, but tells with the utmost frankness what he

thinks of every one. His company is agreeable, and his temper tolerably

even, though with a considerable tendency to suspicion. Does he miss

any thing? he instantly imagines that it has been stolen from him,

and discovers anxiety and disquietude. His sobriety is admirable, and

perfectly contrasts with the manners of this country. When he has

determined to drink no strong liquor, it is impossible to induce him

so much as to taste it; when he is inclined, he asks for it of his own

accord, but never drinks to excess. I observed also, that, after the

manner of the Chinese, in eating he made use of two little sticks,

which he handled with great dexterity.

I requested to see some of the coin of his country, and he readily

gratified my curiosity. The gold coin was a thin plate of an oval

form, and of about two inches in its longest diameter. It is marked

with various Japanese characters, and it appeared to be of pure gold,

without any alloy, so that it readily bent in any manner you pleased.

Their silver money is square, smaller, thinner, and lighter than that

of gold; he however assured me that at Japan this was the superior

coin. The copper coin is precisely the same as the _cache_ of the

Chinese: it is round, and nearly of the size of our two _liard_ pieces,

with a square perforation in the middle.

I asked him some questions respecting the nature of the merchandize

they had saved from their wreck, and I understood, from his answer,

that it consisted chiefly in cups, plates, boxes, and other commodities

of that sort, with a very fine varnish. I afterwards found they had

sold a part of them at Kamtschatka.

I trust I shall be forgiven this digression upon these Japanese; I can

scarcely imagine that it will be thought impertinent; it will assist

us in becoming acquainted with a nation that we have scarcely an

opportunity to see and observe.

Having spent three days at Nijenei Kamtschatka, I left it 12 February

at one o'clock in the afternoon, to meet M. Kasloff, whom I was sure of

finding at Yelofki. My road for some time was the same as I had already

travelled in going to Nijenei, and I arrived at Tchoka early in the

evening. A strong westerly wind almost always prevails in this place.

The situation of the ostrog sufficiently accounts for it, which is upon

a river that runs between two chains of mountains that stretch along

its banks to the distance of twenty five wersts.

I passed the night at Kamokoff, and the next morning I arrived in a few

hours at the ostrog of Kamini, or Peter's town, where I took the road

to Kartchina. In my way I passed three lakes, the last of which was

very large, and not less than five leagues in circumference. I slept at

this ostrog, which is forty wersts from the preceding one, and situated

upon the river Kartchina[74].

I set off as soon as it was light, and notwithstanding the bad weather,

which lasted all the day, I travelled seventy wersts, which brought me

to Yelofki. It is upon a river of the same name, and surrounded with

mountains.

M. Kasloff was astonished at my expedition. I had vainly flattered

myself, that the moment of our meeting would be that of our departure;

but his business was not yet finished, and we were obliged to prolong

our stay: he hoped also that M. Schmaleff would soon arrive. We had

calculated that he would meet us at this ostrog. This expectation,

which was fruitless, and the affairs of M. Kasloff, detained us five

days longer. At length he complied with my impatience, and agreed to

set off the 19, very early in the morning.

We travelled fifty four wersts gently enough; but in the afternoon

we were suddenly overtaken by a terrible tempest from the west and

north-west. We were in an open country, and the whirlwinds became

so violent, that it was impossible to proceed. The snow, which they

raised in the air at every blast, formed a thick fog, and our guides,

notwithstanding their knowledge of the roads, could no longer be

answerable for not misleading us. We could not prevail on them to

conduct us any farther: and yet it was dreadful to lie to at the mercy

of so impetuous a hurricane. As to myself, I confess that I began

to suffer extremely, when our guides proposed to lead us to a wood

that was not far off, and where we should at least find some kind

of shelter. We hesitated not a moment to avail ourselves of their

civility; but before we quitted the road, it was necessary to wait till

our sledges could be assembled, or we should otherwise run the risk of

being separated from one another, and entirely lost. Having effected

this, we gained the wood, which was happily at the distance that we had

been informed. Our halt took place about two o'clock in the afternoon.

The first care of our Kamtschadales was to dig a hole in the snow,

which was in this place at least six feet deep; others fetched wood,

and a fire being quickly lighted, the kettle was set on. A light

repast, and a small dram of brandy, soon recovered all our company. As

the night approached, we were employed upon the means of passing it in

the least uncomfortable manner. Each prepared his own bed: mine was

my vezock, where I could lie down at my ease; but except M. Kasloff,

there was no other person who had so convenient a carriage. How, said

I to myself, will these poor creatures contrive to sleep? I was soon

relieved from my anxiety on their account. The manner in which they

prepared their beds, deserves to be mentioned, though they did not

observe much ceremony on the occasion. Having dug a hole in the snow,

they covered it with the branches of trees, the smallest they could

get; then wrapping themselves up in a _kouklanki_, with the hood drawn

over their heads, they lay down on their bed as if it were the best in

the world. As to our dogs, they were unharnessed, and tied to the trees

that were near us, where they passed the night in their usual manner.

The wind having considerably abated, we proceeded on our journey

before it was light. We had thirty wersts to Ozernoi, where it had

been our intention to have slept the preceding evening. We arrived at

ten o'clock in the morning, but our dogs being extremely fatigued, we

were obliged to spend the rest of the day, and even the night there, in

hopes that the wind, which began to blow still more violently in the

afternoon, would subside during the interval.

The ostrog takes its name from a lake that is near it. The river

Ozernaïa, which is but small, runs at the bottom of the village. The

house of the toyon was the only isba I saw, and I was informed that we

should meet with no more of these kind of buildings till we came to the

town of Ingiga. There were, however, fifteen balagans and two yourts.

I might here describe these subterraneous habitations; but as they are

small in comparison with those which I shall soon have an opportunity

of examining, I shall defer my description for the present.

We passed also the 21 February at Ozernoi, in fruitless expectation

of a serjeant of M. Kasloff's suite, who had been sent to

Nijenei-Kamtschatka.

The next day we reached Ouké at a tolerably early hour, which is only

twenty six wersts. There we waited again for the serjeant, who had been

ordered to join us at this place, But he did not come.

There is but one isba at Ouké, which, together with a dozen balagans

and two yourts, form the whole ostrog. One of the yourts had been

cleaned for M. Kasloff, and we passed the night in it.

We left this village at break of day, and half way on our journey we

saw a certain number of balagans, which are only inhabited, I was

informed, in the fishing season. Near this place we met the sea again,

and travelled on the shore for some time. I was extremely mortified at

not being able to see at what distance it was frozen, nor what was the

direction of this part of the eastern coast of Kamtschatka. A north

wind incommoded us, and impelled the snow with such violence against

us, that our whole attention was engrossed by guarding our eyes from

it; there was also a fog that extended from the shore to a considerable

distance on the sea, and intercepted almost entirely the view of it.

The inhabitants of the country, whom I interrogated upon the subject,

informed me we had just passed a bay of no very considerable width, and

that the sea was covered with ice as far as thirty wersts from the land.

At Khaluli, an ostrog, situated upon a river of the same name, sixty

six wersts from Ouké, and at a short distance from the sea, I found but

two yourts and twelve or thirteen balagans; but I had the pleasure of

seeing a baidar covered with leather. This boat was about fifteen feet

long and four wide; the hull was made of planks tolerably thin, and

crossing each other; a longer and thicker piece of wood served as the

keel; the timbers were made fast with leathern straps; and the whole

was covered over with several skins of sea horses and large sea wolves.

I particularly admired the manner in which these skins were prepared,

and the compactness with which they were sewn together, so that the

water could not penetrate into the boat. Its shape was somewhat similar

to ours, but less round, and therefore less graceful; it converged

towards the extremities, so as to terminate in a point, and had a flat

bottom. The lightness of the common baidars, which makes them liable

to be overturned, doubtless gave rise to this mode of constructing

them, by which they acquire more weight. This boat was placed under

a shed built on purpose to protect it from the snow. The toyon of

Khaluli having given up his yourt to us, we slept in it, being unable

to proceed till the next day. The wind had increased since our arrival,

and did not abate till the middle of the night.

At ten o'clock in the morning we had lost sight of Khaluli, and passed

an old village of the same name, which had been lately deserted on

account of its bad situation. Farther on we found some more desolated

habitations, formerly the ostrog of Ivaschkin, and which had been

removed, for a similar reason, thirty wersts from its former situation.

We came again to the sea, and travelled for some time on the eastern

coast. It forms another bay at this place, which I was desirous of

examining, but was, as before, prevented by the fog. I observed that

the fog cleared up in proportion as the wind veered to the north-east,

which had hitherto been west and north-west.

Ivaschkin is forty wersts from Khaluli, and very near to the sea. It

contains two yourts and six balagans, and is situated upon a small

river of the same name, which was entirely frozen, as was also one that

we had just passed.

We slept at this village, and spent a considerable part of the next

day there, from the apprehension of a hurricane, which, it was said,

threatened us. We were at last relieved from our fears, and though it

was tolerably late when we resolved to proceed, we reached Drannki,

which is thirty wersts. The situation of this ostrog is similar to the

preceding one. Here we found M. Haus, a Russian officer: he came from

Tiguil, and brought M. Kasloff various objects of natural history.

We left Drannki at break of day. In the afternoon we crossed a bay

that was fifteen wersts wide, and from twenty-five to thirty deep; the

entrance was scarcely less than five wersts: it is formed by the south

coast. This coast is low land, gradually declining as it advances into

the sea. The bay runs west-north-west and east-south-east. It appeared

to me that west-north-west of its entrance, towards Karagui, vessels

may safely anchor, and be sheltered from the south, the west, and

the north winds. The south of its entrance does not afford so good a

harbour, as it is said to have various sand banks; I was obliged to

trust to report, the ice and the snow preventing me from obtaining any

better information.

We travelled this day seventy wersts, and came in the evening to

Karagui, which is upon an eminence, and affords a view of the sea.

It has only three yourts and twelve balagans, at the foot of which

the river Karaga passes. This river pours itself into the sea at the

distance of a few gun shots from the ostrog, which is the last in

the district of Kamtschatka; a hamlet a hundred wersts farther, and

containing but few Kamtschadales, not being included within its limits.

As we were obliged to wait here for a stock of dried fish, not yet

come up, and intended for the nourishment of our dogs in the deserts,

which we are now to traverse, I shall embrace this opportunity of

transcribing various notes made in this and the preceding villages.

They will not be placed in the same order as they were written; it must

be supposed that the rapidity with which we travelled, frequently left

me no choice in this respect[75].

I shall first speak of the yourts, which I have not yet described,

deserving as they are of particular attention. These strange houses are

sunk in the earth, as I before observed, and the top, which appears

above ground, is like a truncated cone. To form a just idea of them, we

must conceive of a large square hole about twelve or fourteen yards in

diameter, and eight feet deep; the four sides are lined with joists or

boards, and the interstices of these walls are filled up with earth,

straw, or dried grass, and stones. In the bottom of this hole various

posts are fixed, that support the cross beams upon which the roof

rests. The roof begins upon a level with the ground, and rises four

feet above it; it is two feet thick, has a very gradual slope, and is

made of the same materials as the walls. Towards the top is a square

opening, about four feet long and three wide, which serves as a passage

for the smoke[76] and an entrance to the yourt, where the women as well

as the men go in and out by means of a ladder, or notched beam, that is

raised to a level with this opening. There is another very low entrance

in one side of the yourt, but it is considered as a kind of disgrace to

make use of it. I shall terminate the description of the exterior part

of these habitations by adding, that they are surrounded with tolerably

high palisades, doubtless as a protection against the gales of wind,

or falls of snow; it is said, however, that these enclosures formerly

served as ramparts to defend these people against their enemies.

We have no sooner descended these savage abodes, than we wish ourselves

out again; the view and the smell are equally offensive. The interior

part consists of one entire room, about ten feet high. A bench, five

feet wide, and covered with various skins, half worn out, extends

all round it. This bench is only a foot from the ground[77], and

commonly serves as a bed for a number of families. I have counted in

one yourt more than twenty persons, men, women, and children. They

eat, drink, and sleep pell mell together, satisfy all the calls of

nature without restraint or modesty, and never complain of the noxious

air that prevails in these places. It is true there is a fire almost

incessantly. The fire-place is commonly either in the middle of the

yourt or against one of the sides. In the evening they rake the coals

in a heap, and shut the entrance of the yourt, where the smoke should

evaporate; and thus the heat is concentrated, and kept up during the

whole night. By means of a dismal lamp, the form and disagreeable smell

of which I have before described, we discover in one corner of the

apartment[78] a wretched image of some saint, shining with grease and

blackened with smoke. It is before these images that the Kamtschadales

bow themselves, and offer their prayers. The rest of the furniture

consists of seats and some vessels, made either of wood, or the bark

of trees. Their cookery utensils are of copper or iron; but they are

all disgustingly filthy. The remains of their dried fish are scattered

about the room, and the women or the children are continually broiling

pieces of salmon skin, which is one of their favourite meats.

The singularity of the children's dress particularly attracted my

attention; it is said exactly to referable that of the Koriacs. It

consists of only one garment, that is, of a single deer skin, that

covers and sits close to every part of the body, so that the children

seem to be entirely sewed up. An opening at the bottom, before and

behind, affords an opportunity of cleaning them. This opening is

covered with another piece of skin, which may be fastened and lifted

up at pleasure; it supports a tuft of moss[79], placed like a clout

between the legs of the child, and which is renewed as often as it

becomes necessary. Besides the common sleeves, there are two others

hanging to the garment to place the arms of the child in when it is

cold; the extremities are sewed up, and the sleeves lined on the

inside with moss. There is also a hood fitted to it, made of the same

materials as the rest of the dress; but in yourts the heads of the

children are almost always bare, and the hood hangs therefore upon

their shoulders. Beside all this, they have a deer skin girt, which

serves as a sash. The women carry their children on their back by means

of a string, which passes round the forehead of the mother and under

the buttocks of the child.

The toyon of Karagui, at whose house we lodged, was an old rebel. It

was with some difficulty he had been brought back to his duty, and he

gave us some uneasiness by his positive refusal to procure us fish.

The manners of the inhabitants of this ostrog are very similar to

those of the neighbouring Koriacs. This analogy is as conspicuous in

their idiom as in the dress of their children. I had an opportunity of

remarking it the day after our arrival.

Understanding that there were two hordes of rein deer Koriacs at no

great distance, we sent immediately a messenger to them to request

that they would sell us some of their animals. They readily complied,

and brought us the same day two rein deer alive. This supply came very

seasonably to the relief of our people, who began to apprehend a want

of provisions. Meanwhile our dogs were in still greater danger of

famine, as the dried fish was not yet arrived. A rein deer was ordered

to be killed directly; but when we were desirous of knowing the price

of it, we found very considerable difficulty in being able to treat

with the sellers: they spoke neither Russian nor Kamtschadale; and we

should never have understood one another, if we had not fortunately met

with an inhabitant of Karagui, who could serve as an interpreter.

There are two sorts of Koriacs; those who are properly called by that

name have a fixed residence; the others are wanderers, and are known by

the appellation of _rein_ _deer Koriacs_[80]. Their flocks are very

numerous, and they maintain them by conducting them to those cantons

that abound with moss. When these pastures are exhausted, they seek for

others. In this manner they wander about incessantly, encamping under

tents of skin, and supporting themselves with the produce of their deer.

These animals are as serviceable for draught to the Koriacs, as the

dogs are to the Kamtschadales. The persons who came to us were drawn by

two rein deer. The mode of harnessing and guiding them, as as well as

the form of the sledge, ought to be described; but I think it better

to defer my description till I come to travel with these people, as I

shall be able to be more accurate.

Our long expected provisions arrived at last on the evening of 29, and

were brought by the sergeant whom we had waited for. We prepared every

thing for our departure the next morning, but a most impetuous wind

rose in the night from the west and the north-west. This hurricane

was accompanied with snow, which fell in such abundance that we were

obliged to prolong our stay. Nothing short of this bad weather could

have detained us. The arrival of our provision had increased our

impatience; the supply beside was not considerable, and our necessities

were so urgent that we were obliged to begin upon it immediately. It

was therefore our interest to be as expeditious as possible, lest our

stock should be consumed before we had passed the deserts.

The wind abated in the course of the morning, but the snow continued,

and the sky seemed to threaten us with a second tempest before the end

of the day. It began to rise about two o'clock in the afternoon, and

lasted till the evening.

To divert our attention, it was proposed to us to try the abilities

of a celebrated female dancer, who was a Kamtschadale, and lived in

this ostrog. The encomiums bestowed upon her excited our curiosity,

and we sent for her; but either from caprice or ill humour she refused

to dance, and paid no regard to our invitation. It was in vain they

represented that her refusal was disrespectful to the governor general;

no consideration could induce her to comply. Fortunately we had some

brandy by us, and a bumper or two seemed to effect a change in her

inclinations. At the same time Kamtschadale, at our request, began to

dance before her, challenging her by his voice and gestures. Gradually

her eyes sparkled, her countenance became convulsive, and her whole

frame shook upon the bench where she sat. To the enticements and shrill

song of the dancer, she answered in similar accents, beating time

with her head, which turned in every direction. The movements became

at last so rapid, that, no longer able to contain herself, she darted

from her seat, and in turn defied her man by cries and distortions

still more extravagant. It is not easy to express the absurdity of the

dance. All her limbs seemed to be disjointed; she moved them with equal

strength and agility; she tore her cloaths, and fixed her hands to her

bosom with a kind of rage as if she would tear it also. These singular

transports were accompanied with still more singular postures; and in

short, it was no longer a woman, but a fury. In her blind frenzy she

would have rushed into the fire that was kindled in the middle of the

room, if her husband had not taken the precaution of placing a bench

before it to prevent her: during the whole dance indeed he took care

to keep himself close to her. When he saw that her head was perfectly

gone, that she staggered on all sides, and could no longer support

herself without laying hold of her fellow dancer, he took her in his

arms and placed her upon a bench, where she fell, like an inanimate

clod, without consciousness, and out of breath. She continued five

minutes in this situation. Meanwhile the Kamtschadale, proud of his

triumph, continued to dance and to sing. Recovering from her swoon, the

woman heard him, and suddenly, in spite of her weakness, she raised

herself up, uttered some inarticulate sounds, and would have begun

again this laborious contest. Her husband kept her back and interceded

for her; but the conqueror, believing himself to be indefatigable,

continued his jeers and bantering, and we were obliged to exert our

authority to quiet him. In spite of the praises that were lavished

upon the talents of these actors, the scene, I confess, afforded me no

amusement, but on the contrary, considerable disgust.

All the inhabitants of this place, women as well as men, smoke and chew

tobacco. By a refinement that I cannot account for, they mix ashes with

the tobacco to make it stronger. We gave them some snuff, and they

applied it not to their nose, but to their mouth. I examined their

pipes: they are of the same shape as those of the Chinese, made of

bone, and very small. When they make use of them, they do not emit the

smoke from their mouth, but swallow it with great gratification.

All the toyons of the different ostrogs we had passed in coming from

Ozernoi, out of respect to M. Kasloff, had escorted us as far as

Karagui. The second day after our arrival, they had taken their leave

of us to return to their respective habitations. Their adieux were

affectionate. After making new apologies for not having been able to

give him a better reception in the course of his journey, they showed

the utmost regret at leaving him, as if he had been surrounded by

the most imminent dangers, and offered him whatever they possessed,

ignorant of any other way of testifying their attachment. They

addressed themselves in like manner to me, and solicited me with

earnestness to receive something from them. It was useless to make

objections; my refusals only rendered them the more urgent, and to

satisfy them I was obliged to accept their presents.

Let me be permitted in this place to perform a duty which I owe to the

Kamtschadales in general, for the civility with which they treated

me. I have already mentioned their mild and hospitable character,

but I have not been sufficiently minute respecting the instances of

regard which these good people gave me, and I recall with pleasure

the remembrance of their kind reception. There was not, I believe, an

individual chief of any ostrog, that did not make me some trifling

present. Sometimes it was a sable or fox skin, and sometimes fruit

or fish, and such other objects as they conceived would be most

agreeable to me. One would have supposed that they had resolved, by

their attentions to me, to repair the injustice which they had so long

committed against the French name. They often thanked me for having

undeceived them upon the subject; and sometimes again were tempted

to regret it, when they considered that they should see me no more,

and that it seldom happened that any of my countrymen visited their

peninsula.

We left Karagui at one o'clock in the morning of 2 March. The weather

was tolerably calm, and continued so during the whole day. The only

inconvenience we met with, was the not being able to cross, as we

had hoped to do, a bay which the tempest of the preceding evening

had cleared of its ice: we were obliged to go round it. This bay has

considerable depth, is eight or ten wersts wide, and appeared to run in

the direction of north-east and south-west. The ice was only broken up

as far as the mouth, where it became solid again, and extended into the

sea. With the circuit which we were obliged to make, we travelled this

day about fifty wersts.

Upon the approach of night, we stopped in the open country and erected

our tents. Under the largest, belonging to M. Kasloff, were placed his

vezock and mine, the door of the one against the door of the other, so

that by letting down the windows, we were able to converse together.

The other sledges were ranged two abreast round our tents, and the

spaces between, being covered with linen or skins, served our guides

and our suite as places where they might shelter themselves, and

prepare their beds. Such was the disposition of our halt.

As soon as our kettle boiled we took tea, and then prepared for our

supper, which was our only meal every day. A corporal presided as

_maitre d'hotel_ and as cook. The meats which were prepared by him were

neither numerous nor delicate, but his quickness and our appetites

rendered us indulgent. He commonly served us up a kind of soup made

of a biscuit of black bread, and mixed with rice or oatmeal. It was

prepared in half an hour, and in the following manner. He took a piece

of beef, or flesh of rein deer, and put it into boiling water, having

first cut it into very thin slices, which were ready in an instant.

The evening previous to our departure from Karagui, we had killed and

begun upon our second deer. We regaled ourselves with the marrow: raw

or dressed, I thought it excellent. We had the tongue also boiled, and

I conceived that I had never eaten any thing more delicious.

We pursued our journey early in the morning, but it was impossible to

travel more than thirty-five wersts. The wind had changed to the west

and south-west; it blew with extreme violence, and beat the snow in

our faces. Our guides suffered extremely, less however than our dogs,

some of whom, exhausted with fatigue, died on the road, and others were

incapable of drawing us for want of nourishment. We could only give

them a fourth part of their common allowance, and had scarcely enough

left to last two days.

In this extremity we dispatched a soldier to the ostrog of Kaminoi, to

procure us succour, and to send the escort to meet us that was to have

waited there till M. Kasloff arrived. It was a guard of forty men, sent

from Ingiga upon the first intelligence of the revolt of the Koriacs.

We were only fifteen wersts from the village or hamlet of Gavenki,

where we hoped to find a supply of fish for our dogs; and our

confidence was so great that we ventured to give them a double portion,

that they might be the better able to convey us thither. Having passed

the night in the same manner as the preceding, we pursued our journey

at three o'clock in the morning. We quitted not the sea coast till we

came to Gavenki, which was about ten o'clock. The name of the village

is derived from the word _gavna_, which signifies excrement; and it is

so called on account of its deformity and wretched state. There are

in reality but two isbas falling to ruin, and six balagans very ill

constructed of bad and crooked wood, which the sea leaves sometimes

upon the shore; for there is not a tree in the whole neighbourhood, and

nothing to be seen but a few paltry shrubs scattered here and there

at a considerable distance from one another. I was not astonished

to learn, that not along ago, more than twenty of the inhabitants

voluntarily abandoned their country to seek out a better abode. At

present the population of this hamlet does not exceed five families,

including that of the toyon, and two Kamtschadales from the island

of Karagui, who are settled there. No reason was assigned for this

removal, and I doubt whether they have gained by the change.

We had not been an hour at Gavenki, when a dispute arose between a

sergeant of our company, and two peasants of the village, to whom he

had applied for wood. They answered bluntly that they would not give

him any. From one thing to another the quarrel became violent. The

Kamtschadales, little intimidated by the threats of the sergeant, drew

their knives[81] and fell upon him; but they were immediately disarmed

by two of our soldiers. As soon as M. Kasloff was informed of this

violence, he ordered that the guilty should be punished as an example.

They were brought before the yourt in which we were, and in order to

awe the rest of the inhabitants, M. Kasloff went out himself to hasten

the punishment. I was left with the toyon, who began to complain to me

of the rigour with which his two countrymen were treated. The family

surrounded me and murmured still louder. I was alone; meanwhile I was

endeavouring to pacify them, when I perceived that the governor had

left his arms behind him. I hastily caught up our sabres, upon a motion

which the toyon made to go out, and followed him. He had already joined

M. Kasloff, and stirring up all his neighbours, he demanded in a high

tone that the delinquents should be released. He was himself, he said,

their sole judge, and it belonged to him only to punish them. To these

seditious clamours M. Kasloff answered only by a stern look, which

disconcerted the effrontery both of the peasants and their chiefs.

The toyon still muttered some words, but he was seized and forced to

assist in the chastisement that he had been so desirous of preventing.

One of the culprits was a young man about eighteen years of age, and

the other from twenty eight to thirty. They were stripped and laid

prostrate on the ground; two soldiers held their hands and their feet,

while four others bestowed upon their shoulders a copious distribution

of lashes. They were whipped in this manner one after another with

rods of dried fir, till their bodies were covered with blood. At the

entreaties of the women, whom the weakness of the sex renders every

where compassionate, the intended punishment was lessened, and the

young man given up to them. They immediately gave him a fine lecture on

the folly of his conduct, which they might as well have spared, as he

was scarcely in a situation to attend to it, and still less to think of

repeating his crime.

The severity which M. Kasloff observed upon this occasion, was so

much the more necessary, as we began to perceive in this village some

symptoms of the contagious turbulent disposition of the Koriacs.

Contrasted with the Kamtschadales whom we had just quitted, the

manners of the inhabitants of Gavenki led us to doubt whether it were

really the same people. We had as much reason to complain of the

moroseness and deceit of the latter, as we had to boast of the zeal

and kindness of the former. In spite of all our importunities we could

get no provision for our dogs. They coldly informed us that they had

none; but their equivocal answers betrayed them, and our people soon

satisfied themselves of its falsehood. By means of our dogs, whose

nose and hunger were infallible guides, they quickly discovered the

subterraneous reservoirs, where the inhabitants had, upon our approach,

buried their provisions, though the utmost care had been taken to

conceal all vestiges of them, by artfully covering them with earth

and snow. At the sight of these caves, and the fish that were drawn

from them, these peasants began to alledge the most paltry reasons

to justify their conduct, and which only tended to increase our

indignation. We had some sentiments of humanity, or we should have

taken their whole stock; we contented ourselves with a small part. From

the nature of the provisions it appeared that these coasts afforded

them salmon, herring, cod, morse and other amphibious animals.

There is neither spring nor river of any sort in the neighbourhood, but

merely a lake that supplies the inhabitants with water. In winter they

break the ice that covers it, and carry home large pieces of it, which

they place in a trough suspended in the yourt about five or six feet

high. The heat is sufficient to dissolve the ice, and to this trough

they have recourse when they are thirsty.

Near this village is a mountain or kind of Kamtschadale entrenchment,

which formerly served them as a place of refuge when they revolted.

We staid at Gavenki only twelve or thirteen hours. We set off in the

night for Poustaretsk, which is at the distance of more than two

hundred wersts from it. We were five days in travelling it, and no

journey had ever been so painful. We had no reason to complain of the

weather during the first day; but the next we were extremely harassed

by the snow and gales of wind, which succeeded without interruption,

and with such impetuosity that our conductors were blinded. They could

distinguish no object four paces from them, and could not even see the

sledge that immediately followed them.

To increase our misfortune, our Gavenki guide was old and short

sighted, and frequently therefore went out of the road. We were then

obliged to stop while he went on before to find the vestiges of the

road; but how was it possible to find them in so extensive a plain,

covered with snow, and where we could perceive neither tree, nor

mountain, nor river? The experience of our guide was continually at

fault from the badness of the weather, notwithstanding the incredible

knowledge he had of these roads. The smallest rising, the least shrub,

was sufficient to set him right; meanwhile we calculated that the

deviations he occasioned us amounted each day to twenty wersts.

At the end of the second day's journey, my dogs were reduced to a

single fish, which I divided between them. The want of food soon

exhausted their strength, so as to make them unable to proceed. Some

fell under the blows of our conductors, others refused to draw, and

many from inanition died on the spot. Of the thirty-seven dogs that

were harnessed to my vezock upon leaving Bolcheretsk, only twenty-three

remained, and these were reduced to the utmost poverty. M. Kasloff had

in like manner lost a considerable number of his.

The famine became at last so great, that we were apprehensive of being

starved to death in this desert. Not having a morsel of fish left for

our dogs, we were obliged to feed them with part of our own provisions;

but their share was very moderate, prudence requiring us to observe the

most rigid oeconomy.

In this woeful conjuncture, we left our equipage in the midst of the

way, under guard of some of our conductors, and having chosen the most

tolerable of the dogs to supply the place of those which we had lost,

we went on.

Our pain and anxiety continued. We were in want of water. The only

little brook that we found was entirely frozen up, and we were obliged

to quench our thirst with the snow. The want of wood was another

difficulty. Not a tree had we seen during the whole journey, and we

frequently went a werst out of our way, perhaps for a paltry shrub not

a foot long. We gathered all that we saw, for fear of finding none

as we proceeded farther; but they were so small and so few as not

to enable us to cook our victuals. To warm ourselves was out of the

question. In the mean time the cold was extremely rigorous, and from

the slow pace that we travelled, we were nearly frozen. Almost at every

instant we were also under the necessity of stopping to unharness the

dogs, that expired one after another.

I cannot describe what my feelings were in this situation. My mind

suffered still more than my body. The inconveniences that were

common to us, I patiently shared with my companions; their example

and my youth gave me courage to support them. But when I thought of

my dispatches, my constancy forsook me. They were continually in my

hands, and I never touched them without shuddering. My anxiety to

execute my trust, the view of the many obstacles I had to surmount,

the uncertainty of succeeding, all these ideas united to torment me. I

endeavoured to dispel them; a moment after some new obstacle brought

them to my mind with additional force.

Upon leaving Gavenki, we had quitted the eastern coast, and the western

presented itself to our view two wersts from Pousteretsk. We had

crossed therefore the whole width of this part of Kamtschatka, which

is not less than two hundred wersts, or fifty leagues. We travelled

this extent of country more on foot than in our sledges. Our dogs

were so weak, that we were willing to fatigue ourselves in order to

relieve them, but they were seldom the more alert on this account. Our

conductors could not make them go on without harnessing themselves in

like manner to the sledge, and thus assist them to draw us along; we

encouraged them also by throwing them a handkerchief folded up in the

shape of a fish. They followed this bait, which disappeared the moment

they approached near enough to lay hold of it.

It was by these contrivances that we were able to pass the mountain

that leads to Poustaretsk. From the civil manner in which the women

received us, I considered myself as safe the moment I set foot in

this hamlet. Six of them came to meet us, exhibiting the most absurd

demonstrations of joy. We understood, from some words they spoke, that

their husbands were gone to the ostrog of Potkagornoï in pursuit of

whales. They conducted us to their habitations, singing and skipping

about us like so many maniacs. One of them took off her parque, made of

the skin of a young deer, and put it upon M. Kasloff; the rest by loud

bursts of laughter expressed their satisfaction at our arrival, which

they said was unexpected. This was scarcely probable, but we pretended

to believe them, in hopes of meeting with the better fare.

We entered Poustaretsk 9 March, at three o'clock in the afternoon. Our

first precaution was to visit all the reservoirs of fish. How great

was our mortification to find them empty! We immediately suspected that

the inhabitants had acted in the same manner as those of Gavenki; and

we questioned the women, and ransacked every probable place, persuaded

that they had concealed their provisions. The more they denied it, the

farther we pursued our researches. They were however fruitless, and we

could find nothing.

During this interval our dogs had been unharnessed in order to be tied

up in troops as usual. They were no sooner fastened to the posts, than

they fell upon their strings and their harnesses, and devoured them in

a moment. It was in vain that we attempted to retain them; the majority

escaped into the country, and wandered about consuming whatever their

teeth could penetrate. Some died, and became immediately the prey

of the rest. They rushed with eagerness upon the dead carcasses, and

tore them to pieces. Every limb that any individual seized upon,

was contested by a troop of competitors, who attacked it with equal

avidity: if he fell under their numbers, he became in turn the object

of a new combat[82]. To the horror of seeing them devour one another,

succeeded the melancholy spectacle of those that beset our yourt. The

leanness of these poor beasts was truly affecting: they could scarcely

stand upon their legs. By their plaintive and incessant cries, they

seemed to address themselves to our companion, and to reproach our

incapacity to relieve them. Many of them, who suffered as much from

cold as from hunger, laid themselves down by the opening made in the

roof of the yourt to let out the smoke. The more they felt the benefit

of the heat, the nearer they approached; and at last, either from

faintness, or inability to preserve an equilibrium, they fell into the

fire before our eyes.

Shortly after our arrival the guide returned, who had accompanied the

soldier sent out six days before to Kaminoi to procure us succour.

He informed us that our messenger was reduced to the last extremity,

and considered himself as fortunate in having found, twelve wersts to

the north of Pousteretsk, a miserable deserted yourt, where he had

sheltered himself from the tempests, which had misled him no less than

ten times. The provision we had given him for himself and his dogs was

all consumed, and he waited impatiently till he should be relieved from

his embarassment, without which it was impossible for him to come out

of his asylum, either for the purpose of executing his commission, or

of returning back to us.

M. Kasloff, far from being cast down by this new disappointment,

animated our courage by communicating to us the last expedients he

had resolved to employ. He had already, upon the intelligence of a

whale being driven on shore near Potkagornoï, dispatched an express

to that village. The utmost expedition was recommended, and he was

to bring as much of the flesh and fat of the whale as he could. This

resource however being uncertain, M. Kasloff proposed that we should

sacrifice the small quantity of provision which each of us had intended

to reserve for the support of his own dogs. This contribution was for

sergeant Kabechoff, who had offered to go to Kaminoi. In the distress

in which we were, the most feeble ray of hope was sufficient to induce

us to risk our all. We embraced therefore the proposal with transport,

confiding in the zeal and ability of this sergeant.

He departed at 10, minutely instructed upon the subject of his journey,

and carrying with him the whole of our provisions. In his way he was

to take up our poor soldier, and from thence proceed to fulfil the

commission in which he had failed. Having taken all these precautions,

we exhorted one another to patience, and endeavoured to divert our

anxiety by waiting till it should please providence to deliver us. I

shall employ this time in giving an account of the observations I made

at Poustaretsk.

This hamlet is situated upon the declivity of a mountain washed by

the sea; for we cannot call a river[83], what is nothing more than a

very narrow gulf, which reaches as far as the foot of this mountain.

The water is salt, and not drinkable; we were obliged therefore to

have recourse to melted snow, which was the only fresh water we could

procure. Two yourts, inhabited by about fifteen persons, make up the

whole hamlet. I mean to include a few balagans that are occupied in

summer, and situated farther from the shore.

They spend the whole summer in fishing, and preparing their stock of

winter provisions. If we may judge from the food that we saw them dress

and eat, this part of the country does not much abound with fish. Their

aliment during our residence among them consisted only in the flesh

and fat of the whale, the bark of trees in its natural state, and in

buds steeped in the oil of the whale, or the sea wolf, or in the fat of

any other animal. They informed us that they frequently caught small

cod in the open sea; I know not whether they had any concealed store

of this article, but we had searched so thoroughly, and we saw them

fare so wretchedly, that we believed them to be really as poor as they

appeared to be.

Their mode of catching rein deer, which are very plentiful in these

cantons, is equally sure and easy. They surround a certain extent of

land with palisades, leaving here and there an opening, where they

spread their nets or snares. They then disperse, in order to drive the

deer into them. These animals, by attempting to save themselves, run

through the openings, and are caught either by the neck or their horns.

A considerable number always escape by tearing the nets or leaping the

palisades; meanwhile twenty or thirty men will frequently take at a

time upwards of sixty deer.

Independently of their domestic occupations, the women are employed

in preparing, staining, and sewing the skins of various animals,

particularly deer skins. They first scrape them with a sharp stone

fixed in a stick. Having taken off the fat, they still continue to

scrape them to make them thinner and more supple. The only colour they

stain them is a deep red, which is extracted from the bark of a tree

called in Russia _olkhovaïa-dereva_, and known to us by the name of

_alder_. They boil the bark, and then rub the skin with it till it has

imbibed the die. The knives which they afterwards make use of to cut

these skins, are crooked, and the invention probably of the country.

The sinews of the rein deer stripped very slender, and prepared in like

manner by the women, serves them instead of thread, They sew perfectly

well. Their needles, which have nothing singular, are brought from

Okotsk, and their thimbles are like those used by our tailors, and are

always worn upon the fore-finger.

I have already given an account of their manner of smoking, but I must

resume the subject in order to relate the fatal consequences that

attend it. Their pipes[84] will scarcely contain more than a pinch of

tobacco, which they renew till they have satiated themselves; and this

is effected in the following manner. By swallowing the smoak, instead

of blowing it out, they gradually become so intoxicated that they

would, if they were near it, fall into the fire. Experience has happily

taught them to attend to the progress of this species of trance, and

they have the precaution to sit down or to lay hold of the first object

within their reach. The fit lasts them at least for a quarter of an

hour, during which time their situation is the most painful that can

be conceived. Their bodies are covered with a cold perspiration, the

saliva distils from their lips, their breathing is short, and attended

with a constant inclination to cough. It is only when they have brought

themselves into this situation, that they conceive themselves to have

enjoyed the true pleasure of smoking.

Neither the men nor the women wear chemises[85]; their common garment

has nearly the same form, but it is shorter, and made of deer skin.

When they go out, they put on a warmer one over it. In winter the women

wear fur breeches instead of petticoats.

The 12, M. Schmaleff joined us. His return gave us the greater

pleasure, as we had been very uneasy on his account. He had been absent

from us six weeks, and almost a month had elapsed since the time fixed

for his meeting us. He had very little provision left, but his dogs

were not in so bad a condition as ours, and we embraced the opportunity

of fetching our equipage which we had left in the road, and of which we

had not since received any news.

The south-west wind, which had so much incommoded us in our journey,

continued to blow with equal violence for several days; it afterwards

changed to the north-east, but the weather only became the more

terrible.

It seemed as if nature in anger conspired also against us to increase

our difficulties and prolong our misery. I appeal to every man who has

found himself in a similar situation. He only can tell how cruel it is

to be thus chained down by obstacles that are incessantly springing up.

We may strive to divert our thoughts, to arm ourselves with patience;

our strength will at last fail, and reason lose its power over us.

Nothing renders a calamity more insupportable, than the not being able

to foresee when it will terminate.

We had too painful an experience of this upon the receipt of the

letters that were brought us from Kaminoi. We had no succour to expect

from that quarter, Kabechoff informed us. The detachment from Ingiga

were unable to come to us. They had been two months at Kaminoi, and had

consumed not only their own flock of provision, but also the supply

that had been destined for us. Their dogs, like ours, devoured one

another, and the forty men were reduced to the last extremity. Our

sergeant added, that he had sent immediately to Ingiga as our only

resource, and that he expected an answer in a few days; but he feared

that it would not be very satisfactory, as the town must be badly

stocked with dogs and provisions, after the considerable supply which

it had furnished.

This melancholy news deprived us of all hope, and we gave ourselves up

for lost. Our grief and despondence were so extreme, that M. Kasloff

was at first insensible to the news of his promotion, which he had

received by the same messenger. A letter from Irkoutsk informed him,

that, out of gratitude for his services, the empress had advanced

him from the government of Okotsk to that of Yakoutsk. In any other

situation this news would have afforded him the utmost pleasure. A

more extensive field was open for the display of his zeal, and a better

opportunity for exercising his talents in the art of government. But

his thoughts were very differently employed than in calculating the

advantages of this new post, Every other sentiment yielded to that of

our danger, in which he was wholly absorbed.

In a moment thus critical, I can only ascribe to the inspiration of

heaven, the idea that suddenly occurred to me of separating myself

from M. Kasloff. In reflecting upon it, I perceived every thing there

was in it disobliging to him, and mortifying to me. I endeavoured to

drive the idea from my mind, but it was in vain. It returned, it fixed

itself there in spite of me. I thought of my country, of my family, of

my duty. Their power over me was invincible, and I disclosed myself

to the governor. Upon the first view it appeared to him to be a wild

project, and he failed not to oppose it. The desire of executing it,

furnished me with a ready answer to all his objections. I proved to

him, that by continuing together, we deprived each other of the means

of pursuing his journey. We could not set off together without a

strong reinforcement of dogs. We had scarcely more than twenty-seven

that were at all tolerable, the rest having died or being unfit for

service[86]. By giving up these twenty-seven dogs, one of us would be

able to proceed, and his departure would relieve the other from the

difficulty of maintaining this small number of famished steeds. But,

said M. Kasloff, you must still have provision for them, and what means

are there of procuring it?

I was at a loss how to reply, when we were informed that our express

from Potkagornoï was arrived. More fortunate than the rest, he had

brought us a large quantity of the flesh and fat of the whale. My joy

at the sight of it was extreme, every difficulty was now removed, and I

conceived myself already to be out of Poustaretsk. I returned instantly

to my argument, and M. Kasloff having no longer any thing to oppose,

and applauding in reality my zeal, complied with my solicitations. It

was fixed that I should depart the 18 at latest. From this moment we

were employed in the necessary arrangements for executing my project

with the greatest safety.

Every thing flattered me with the hope of success. With the melancholy

news we had received from Kaminoi, there were some consoling

circumstances. For instance, we were assured that no obstruction was

to be apprehended from the Koriacs. A perfect calm was reestablished

among them; and, to convince us of it, they had been desirous that

some of their countrymen should accompany the soldier charged with the

dispatches to M. Kasloff. Even the son of the chief of the rebels,

called _Eitel_, was one of the escort. The Koriacs, he told us, had

long waited with impatience the arrival of the governor, and his father

meant to show his respect M. Kasloff by coming to meet him.

Charmed with the idea that we had no longer any thing to fear, at

least on this side, we were eager to express our satisfaction to these

Koriacs for their good will to us. We made them all the presents that

our situation would permit, such as tobacco, stuffs, and various

articles which I had purchased during my sea voyage, as well as others

that had been left me by count de la Perouse. We gave them something

also for their relations. But our principal care was to make them as

drunk as possible, that they might give a favourable report of their

reception. It was necessary to consult their taste; and to intoxicate

them completely, they considered as the very essence of politeness.

I proposed to these Koriacs to take charge of two of my portmanteaus.

They expressed at first some unwillingness, on account of the distance,

which was as far as Ingiga. By means, however, of entreaties and my

purse, I at last prevailed upon them to take them into their sledges.

Eased in this manner of my baggage, I had nothing to think of but my

dispatches. The effects which I had intrusted to the Koriacs gave me

little or no concern, as the soldier sent from Ingiga would return with

them, and had promised to see that the trust was faithfully executed.

To the last moment of my stay M. Kasloff had been laboriously[87]

employed in preparing his letters, which I was to have the care of.

With these he delivered to me a _podarojenei_, or passport, that was

to serve me as far as Irkoutsk. This passport was also an order to all

Russian officers and other inhabitants, subjects of the empress, whom

I should meet in my way to that place, to assist me with the means of

proceeding on my journey with safety and expedition. The foresight of

the governor omitted nothing that was necessary for me. Had I been the

brother of his heart, his attentions could not have been greater.

I must pause; for I cannot suppress the emotion I feel at the thought

that I am upon the point of quitting this estimable man, rendered

for ever dear to me, still more by the virtues of his heart than the

accomplishments of his understanding. The generous sacrifice he made is

at this moment a weight upon me, and I cannot avoid reproaching myself

for having wished it. What do I not suffer upon leaving him in these

frightful deserts, without knowing whether he will ever be able to come

out of them! The image of his melancholy situation haunts and agitates

my mind. Ah! I repeat it; it must have been the conviction that there

was no other way of executing the trust reposed in me, which impelled

me, in spite of the prohibition of count de la Perouse, to take this

resolution. But for this motive, but for my dispatches, I could never

justify to my own heart my eagerness to leave him. May the testimony

which my gratitude will ever render for his goodness to me, and his

zeal for the service of his mistress, contribute in some measure to

his advancement and his happiness; mine will be complete, if I have

ever the pleasure of seeing him again, and embracing him in my arms.