PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 247 



people every spring. In the autumn there is a fair, 

 at which those persons who have received seeds are 

 required to attend, and to bring with them specimens 

 of the fruit of their labour. The persons who are 

 most deserving then receive rewards, and the day 

 finishes with a feast and a dance. In spite of these 

 encouragements, the gardens are very little attended 

 to. Hay, though it is got in at the proper season, is 

 in such inadequate proportion to the wants of the 

 cattle, that were it not for wild garlic they would 

 famish before the spring vegetation commences. The 

 flavour that is communicated to the milk and butter 

 by the use of this herbage, appears to be so familiar to 

 the inhabitants that they find nothing unpleasant in 

 it ; but it is very much the reverse with strangers. 

 Every family has one or two cows, of which great 

 care is taken during the winter, and, strictly speaking, 

 some of the inhabitants live under the same roof with 

 their animals, with no other partition than a screen of 

 single boards. There are very few oxen in the town, 

 and when required they are driven from Bolcheresk, 

 about ninety miles off, where pasturage is more 

 abundant. Beef is consequently a luxury seldom en- 

 joyed; and sheep and goats cannot exist in the coun- 

 try, in consequence of the savage nature of the dogs, 

 which are very large, and occasionally break away 

 from their fastenings : fish therefore constitutes the 

 principal food of the inhabitants. 



Necessarily frugal, and blessed with a salubrious 

 climate, the residents in general enjoy good health, 

 and appear to lead a contented life. They are ex- 

 tremely fond of the amusement of dancing, and fre- 

 cjuently meet for this purpose. There are several mu- 

 sicians, and nuisical instruments are manufactured by 



