5o8 AVOYAGETO 



'77S. the ifland ; where they always met with a hearty welcome. 

 ' This fcttlemcnt confiflcd of a dwelUng-houfc, and two ftore- 

 houfcs. And, befides the Ruffians, there was a number of 

 the Kamtfchadales, and of the natives, as fervants, or llaves» 

 to the former. Some others of the natives, who feemcd in- 

 dependent of the Ruffians, lived at the fame place. Such of 

 them as belonged to the Ruffians were all males; and they 

 are taken, or, perhaps, purchafed from their parents when 

 young. There was, at this time, about twenty of thefe, 

 who could be looked upon in no other light than as children. 

 They all live in the fame houfe ; the Ruffians at the upper 

 end, the Kamtfchadales in the middle; and the natives at 

 the lower end ; where is fixed a large boiler for preparing 

 their food, which confifls chiefly of what the fca produces, 

 with the addition of wild roots and berries. There is little 

 difference between the firft and lafl table, befides what is 

 produced by cookery, in which the Ruffians have the art to 

 make indiffisrent things palatable. I have eat whale's flefli 

 of their dreffing, which I thought very good ; and they 

 made a kind of pan-pudding of falmon roe, beaten up fine, 

 and fried, that is no bad fuccedaneum for bread. They may, 

 now and then, tafte real bread, or have a difli in which 

 fi'our is an ingredient 5 but this can only be an occafionai 

 luxury. If we except the juice of berries, which they 

 fip at their meals, they have no other liquor befides pure 

 water ; and it fcems to be very happy for tlicm that they have 

 nothing ftrongcr. 



As the ifland fupplics them with food, fo it does, in a great 

 mcafure, with clothing. This confifls chiefly of ficins, and 

 is, pcrhap/S, the befl they could have. The upper garment 

 is made like our waggoner's frock, and reaches as low as 

 the. knee. Befides this, they wear a waiflcoat or two, a pair 



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