&96 KAMTSI

doubt that gTeens, turnips, and radishes, might, witha little trouble, be everywhere produced. Wildberries and wild garlic abound; the latter is exportedto Okotsk and Yakutsk: this plant is one of thefinest antiscorbutics known, but has a peculiarlyoffensive smell.

The principal riches of Kamtschatka may be said toconsist in the animals of the chase, of which there isso prodigious a number that there are not sufficientinhabitants to take them. The most valuable arefoxes of various colours, a few sea and more riverotters, with an immense number of sables. Bears,wolves,rein-deer,and mountain-sheep, and sometimesa few lynxes, are also to be found. The number ofskins annually exported and consumed in the penin-sula may be about 30,000, of which sables and foxesform the principal part. The sables are consideredat once the warmest and the coarsest known; thefoxes, however, especially the fiery red, are of thefinest species. Next to these the dogs of Kamt-schatka may be considered a great part of their riches.These faithful and useful animals are employed totransport fish, supply the house with water, the cattlewith hay—in short, to do all the work that horsesperform in England. They are fed as circumstancesmay dictate, being always left to shift for themselvesfrom June to October. They are of a coarse appear-ance, in shape resembling a common house-dog, butendued with great sagacity, and it is to be regrettedthat they are not relieved a little by the importationof horses. They are harnessed to a sledge, two andtwo abreast, with one peculiarly intelligent and well-trained dog placed in front as a leader. The cry of“ tag tag” turns them to the right; that of “ koughakougha” to the left; “ ah ha” stops them ; and “ ah”makes them depart. A sledge for personal convey-ance is drawn by four or five dogs; one for baggageby ten. The travelling sledge presents the form ofan oblong basket, both extremities of which are ele-vated in a curve. It is about three feet in length, afoot in breadth, and is raised three feet from theground. The rider sits either astride, or more com-monly sideways, like a lady on horseback. Thehighest achievement, however, is to drive standingon one foot. Great skill is requisite to preserve thebalance of this slight vehicle, which is continuallyderanged in passing over uneven ground, so thatinexperienced riders are soon thrown out. The onlyinstrument used is a stick, which they throw at thedogs, and catch again with great dexterity.

The Kamtschatdales have two kinds of habi-tations ; one for winter and the other for summer.The winter habitations are sunk some feet under theground ; the walls are formed of trees laid over eachother; the roof is made slanting, and covered withcoarse grass or rushes. The interior consists of tworooms, with a large lamp fed with train oil, andplaced so as to warm both rooms, and at the sametime to answer the purposes of cookery'. Thesehouses are frequently large enough to contain two orthree families; and fifty persons have been known totake up their abode in them. In that case the dirt,smell, and soot issuing from the lamp, are such as only'a Kamtschatdale could endure. The summer-houseis supported on pillars, which raise it to the heightof twelve or thirteen feet from the ground. Theseposts support a platform made of rafters, and coveredwith clay, which serves as the floor, whence the houseascends in the form of a cone, covered with thatch or

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dried grass. This apartment composes the wholehabitation ; and here all the family eat and sleep.There are several summer-houses to one winter-house, and they pass on a plank from one to theother. The object of this singular construction is tohave a space sheltered from the sun and rain, vetopen to the air, in which their fish may be hung upand dried. It is afforded by the rude colonnadewhich supports these structures, to the ceiling ofwhich the fish are attached: and in the engravingbeneath a view is given of both the winter and sum-mer habitations of the inhabitants of this peninsula.

The materials they employ in the construction ofthese rude edifices are very imperfect conductors ofheat, and as such tend very materially towardspreserving an equable temperature within. But agreat number of the natives are now establishedin villages all built in the old Russian style, whichare far more clean and comfortable. During thesummer or fishing season, they leave their winterresidences for the balagans or places which they usefor drying their fish. Thus the summer is spent inproviding food for the winter, which is taken up inthe chase. Their ancient language is not forgotten,but is so far out of use that there are few who do notspeak Russian. Most of the aborigines are baptized,and are said to live as the Russians do. The numberof real Kamtschatdales who retain their ancientusages is small. They reside in the northern coastbeyond Tygil and Nishney'. Kamtschatish hospitalityis the most striking feature in their character; butthey 7 are also distinguished by their strict adherenceto truth, and their honesty is proverbial. Withoutbeing forw ard to complain of ill-treatment, they willfearlessly recount it when questioned. They are inpart governed by their own toions or chiefs; butan annual visit is made to each village by theispraonick or chief judge, as well for the puqiosc ofcollecting sables as of administering justice anddeciding quarrels. The introduction of ardent spiritsinto Kamtschatka has been productive of the mostmischievous consequences. It has tended most mate-rially to destroy' the strong habits of industry formerlyso apparent in these simple people. The Russiantraders, wdio are well aware of this weakness, sellspirituous liquors at a most extravagant price, 'andinveigle them to give their most precious effects inexchange for them.

Their dress is the same as formerly, that for thewinter season being made of the skins of beasts ■but in summer they wear nankeens, and at present