»26 A V O Y A G E T O 



o 



>779- North to South, dividing it nearly into two equal parts, from. 



October. , r • , i--^i 



whence a great number or rivers take their rife, and empty 

 themfelves, on each fide, into the Pacific Ocean and the fea 

 of Okotfk. 



There arc three rivers of much greater magnitude than 

 the reft ; the Bolchoircka, or great river, fo called from bol- 

 xboia, which fignifies great, and reka, a river; the river 

 Kamtfchatka, and the Awatfka. The firft empties itfelf 

 into the fea of Okotfk, and is navigable, for the Ruffian gal- 

 liots, upward of five leagues from its mouth, or within nine 

 miles of Bolcheretfk, a town fituated at the conflux of the 

 . Goltfoffka and the Biftraia, which here lofe themfelves in 

 the Bolchoireka. The Biftraia itfelf is no inconfiderable 

 river. It derives its fource from the fame mountain with 

 the river Kamtfchatka, and, by taking a direct, contrary 

 courfe, affords the Kamtfchadales the means of tranfport- 

 ing their goods by water, in fmall canoes, almoft acrofs the 

 whole peninfula. The river Kamtfchatka, after maintain- 

 ing a courfe of near three hundred miles from South to 

 North, winds round to the Eaftward, in which direction it 

 empties itfelf into the ocean, a little to the Southward of 

 Kamtfchatkoi Nofs. Near the mouth of the Kamtfchatka, 

 to the North Weft, lies the great lake called Nerpitfch, from 

 vcrpi, a Kamtfchadale word fignifying a feal, with which 

 this lake abounds. About twenty miles up the river, 

 reckoning from the mouth of the lake, is a fort called 

 Niflinci Kamtfchatlka ojlrog, where the Ruffians have built 

 an hofpiul and barracks, and which, we were informed, is 

 become the principal mart in this country. 



The river Awatfka arifes from the mountains fituated be- 

 tween the Bolchoircka and the Biftraia, and running, from 

 2 North 



