248 VOYAGE TO THE 



an ingenious exile. As spirituous liquors of any kind 

 in the country are scarce, these meetings are not at- 

 tended with any inebriety, and serve only to pass away 

 the dull hours of a long winter's evening. The only 

 refreshment we saw produced at them consisted of 

 whortle and cran-berries ; these were piled up in two 

 or three plates with a dessert-spoon to each, and passed 

 round the company, almost every body using the same 

 spoon. Society is necessarily very mixed, or there 

 could be none in so small a population, and when 

 strangers are not present it is not unusual to see 

 exiles at the governor's parties. 



In the winter sledging is a favourite occupation. 

 The dogs are here very large and swift, and are so 

 much esteemed that they are carried to Okotsk for 

 sale. For a description of this amusement, and other 

 recreations of the Kamschatdales, I must refer the 

 reader to Cook's Voyage, to Captain Cochrane's Pe- 

 destrian Journey, and to the entertaining Travels of 

 Mr. Dobell, who quitted Kamschatka a short time be- 

 fore we arrived. 



At present the only trade carried on at Petropaulski 

 is in furs, which are exchanged for goods brought an- 

 nually from Okotsk. Every thing is excessively dear, 

 even the necessary article salt is in great demand, 

 and produces a very high price. 



The Bay of Awatska and the harbours which open 

 into it leave nothing to be desired in the way of a port. 

 Awatska has many square miles of ground which may 

 be appropriated to secure anchorage, and Tareinski is 

 the beau ideal of a harbour. Petropaulski, though 

 small, has a sufficient depth of water for a first-rate in 

 every part of it. The ground is good, and the smooth- 

 ness of the water is never affected by any weather 



