1779- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. I89 



such as rheumatisms, swelled and contracted joints, 

 and scorbutic ulcers. In the bathing-place the ther- 

 mometer stood at 100°, or blood heat ; but in the 

 spring, after being immersed two minutes, it was 1° 

 above boiling spirits. The thermometer in the air, 

 at this time, was 34° ; in the river 40° ; and in the 

 Town's house 6l<°. The ground where these springs 

 break out, is on a gentle ascent ; behind which there 

 is a green hill of a moderate size. I am sorry I was 

 not sufficiently skilled in botany to examine the 

 plants, which seemed to thrive here with great lux- 

 uriance ; the wild garlic, indeed, forced itself on our 

 notice, and was at this time springing up very 

 vigorously. 



The next morning, we embarked on the Bol- 

 choireka in canoes ; and, having the stream with us, 

 expected to be at our journey's end the day follow- 

 ing. The town of Bolcheretsk is about eighty miles 

 from Natcheekin ; and we were informed, that, in 

 the summer season, when the river has been full and 

 rapid, from the melting of snow on the mountains, 

 the canoes had often gone down in a single day ; but 

 that, in its present state, we should probably be much 

 longer, as the ice had broken up only three days be- 

 fore we arrived ; and that our's would be the first 

 boat that had attempted to pass. This intelligence 

 proved but too true. We found ourselves greatly 

 impeded by the shallows ; and though the stream in 

 many places ran with great rapidity, yet every half 

 mile, we had ripplings and shoals, over which we 

 were obliged to haul the boats. The country on 

 each side was very romantic, but unvaried ; the river 

 running between mountains of the most craggy and 

 barren aspect, where there was nothing to diversify 

 the scene ; but now and then the sight of a bear, and 

 the flights of wild-fowl. So uninteresting a passage 

 leaves me nothing farther to say, than that this and 

 the following night we slept on the banks of the 

 river, under our marquee ; and suffered very much 



