THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 325 



CHAP. VI. 



General Account of Kamtfchatka. — Geographical Defer ip- 

 tion* — Rivers. — Soil. — Climate. — Volcanos. — Hot 

 Springs. — Productions. — Vegetables. — Animals. — Birds. 

 —Fijh. 



J^AMTSCHATKA is the name of a pcninfula fituated 1779- 



- Oftober. 



K 



on the Eaftern coafl of Afia, running nearly North 

 and South, from 52° to 6i° North latitude ; the longitude of 

 its Southern extremity being 156 45' Eaft. The ifthmus r 

 which joins it to the continent on the North, lies between 

 the Gulf of Olutorfk and the Gulf of Penfhinfk. Its 

 Southern extremity is Cape Lopatka, a word fignifying the 

 blade-bone of a man, and is fo called from its fuppofed 

 refemblance to it. The ihape of the whole pcninfula is not 

 unlike that of a fhoe, widening from the toe (which we 

 may fuppofe to be Cape Lopatka) toward the middle, and 

 narrowing again toward the heel, the neck of land above- 

 mentioned connecting it with the continent. Its greateft 

 breadth is from the mouth of the river Tigil to that of 

 Kamtfchatka, and is computed to be two hundred and 

 thirty-fix miles, from whence it narrows very gradually to* 

 ward each extremity. 



It is bounded on the North by the country of the Ko- 

 riacks; to the South and Eaft, by the North Pacific Ocean 3 

 and to the Weft, by the fea of Okotfk. A chain of high- 

 mountains ftretches the whole length of the country, from* 



Narth. 



