RUSSIAN DISCOVERIES. 



the fkins of reindeer, wolves, and foxes, and are not 

 tributary to any of their neighbours. The inhabitants 

 of the Fox-iflands feem to have no knowledge of any 

 country beyond Alalhka. 



Feafts are very common among thefe iflanders; and ^"^s- 

 more particularly when the inhabitants of one ifland are 

 vifited by thofe of the others. The men of the village 

 meet their guefts beating drums, and preceded by the 

 women, who ling and dance. At the conclufion of the 

 dance the hofts invite them to partake of the feafts ; after 

 which ceremony the former return firft to their dwell- 

 ings, place mats in order, and " ferve up their beft j)ro- 

 vilion. The guefts next enter, take their places, and 

 after they are fatisfied the diverfions begin. 



Firft, the children dance and caper, at the fame time 

 making a noife with their fmall drums, while the own- 

 ers of the hut of both fexes fing. Next, the men dance 

 almoft naked, tripping after one another, and beating 

 drums of a larger fize : when thefe are weary, they are 

 relieved by the women, who dance in their clothes, the 

 men continuing in the mean time to fing and beat their 

 drums. At laft the fire is put out, which had been kin- 

 dled for the ceremony. The manner of obtaining fire is 

 by rubbing two pieces of dry wood, or moft commonly by 

 ft^iking two flints together, and letting the fparks fall 



Z 2 upon 



171 



