336 cook's voyage to oct* 



upon these imported goods, they have still a larger 

 upon the furs at Kiachta, upon the frontiers of China* 

 which is the great market for them. The best sea- 

 otter skins sell generally in Kamtschatka for about 

 thirty roubles a-piece. The Chinese merchant at 

 Kiachta purchases them at more than double that 

 price, and sells them again at Pekin at a great ad^- 

 vance, where a farther profitable trade is made with 

 some of them to Japan. If, therefore, a skin is 

 worth thirty roubles in Kamtschatka, to be trans- 

 ported first to Okotsk, thence to be conveyed by land 

 to Kiachta, a distance of one thousand three hundred 

 and sixty-four miles, thence on to Pekin, seven hun- 

 dred and sixty miles more, and after this to be trans- 

 ported to Japan, what a prodigiously advantageous 

 trade might be carried on between this place and 

 Japan, which is but about a fortnight's, at most 

 three weeks' sail from it? 



All furs exported from hence across the sea of 

 Okotsk, pay a duty of ten per cent., and sables a duty 

 of twelve. And all sorts of merchandize, of whatever 

 denomination, imported from Okotsk, pay half a 

 rouble for every pood. * 



The duties arising from the exports and imports, 

 of which I could not learn the amount, are paid at 

 Okotsk : but the tribute is collected at Bolcheretsk ; 

 and, I was informed by Major Behm, amounted in 

 value to ten thousand roubles annually. 



There are six vessels (of forty to fifty tons burthen) 

 employed by the empress between Okotsk and Bol- 

 cheretsk, five of which are appropriated to the trans- 

 porting of stores and provisions from Okotsk to Bol- 

 cheretsk; except that once in two or three years, 

 some of them go round to Awatska, and the Kamt- 

 schatka river ; the sixth is only used as a packet- 

 boat, and always kept in readiness, and properly 

 equipped for conveying dispatches. Besides these, 



* Thirty-six pounds English. 



