

1779. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 317 



numerous presents we received from the Toion of 

 Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and which sometimes 

 consisted of twenty brace. 



We met with no amphibious sea-animals on the 

 coast, except seals, with which the bay of Awatska 

 swarmed ; as they were, at this time, in pursuit of 

 the salmon that were collecting in shoals, and ready 

 to ascend the rivers. Some of them are said to pur- 

 sue the fish into the fresh water, and to be found in 

 most of the lakes which communicate with the sea. 



The sea-otters * are exactly the same with those 

 we met with at Nootka Sound, which have been al- 

 ready fully described, and where they are in great 

 plenty. They are also said to have been formerly in 

 equal abundance here ; but, since the Russians have 

 opened a trade for their skins to China, where they 

 are sold at a price much beyond that of any other 

 kind of fur, they have been hunted almost entirely 

 out of the country. Amongst the Kurile islands 

 they are still caught, though in no great numbers ; 

 but are of a superior quality to those of Kamtschatka, 

 or the American coast. 



We are informed, that on Mednoi and Beering's 

 Island, scarce a sea-otter is now to be found ; though 

 it appears from Muller t, that in his time they were 

 exceedingly plentiful. 



The Russian voyagers make mention of a great 

 variety of amphibious sea-animals, which are said to 

 frequent these coasts : the reason why we saw no 

 other kinds might be, that this was the season of 

 their migration. 



Not having it in my power to treat these articles 

 more fully, I conclude them with the less regret, 

 since the ingenious Mr. Pennant has a work, almost 

 ready for publication, entitled, Arctic Zoology ; in 

 which the learned will receive full information con- 

 cerning the animals of this peninsula. This gentle- 

 man has very obligingly communicated to me his 



* Mustela lutris. f English Translation, p. 59. 



