33° 



A VOYAGE TO 



i?;> the fummcr, October may be confidered as an autumnal 

 month, from thence, till the middle of June, it is perfect 

 winter. It was toward the end of May that we made our 

 journey, between Bolcheretfk and Awatfka, over the fnow 

 in Hedges. 



It is faid that the climate, in the country adjoining to the 

 river Kamtfchatka, is not lefs ferene and temperate, than in 

 many parts of Siberia that are under the fame latitude. This 

 variation is probably owing to the fame caufes, to which the 

 fuperior fertility of the foil in thofe parts has been before 

 attributed. But it is not in the fterility of the ground alone 

 that the Kamtfchadales feel the unfavourable tempera- 

 ture of their climate. The uncertainty of the fummer fea- 

 fon fometimes prevents their laying up a fufficient flock of 

 dried fifh for their winter's provision, and the moifture of 

 the air caufes worms to breed in them, which not unfre- 

 quently deftroy the greateft part. 



I do not remember that we had either thunder or light- 

 ning during our flay, excepting on the night of the eruption 

 of the 'volcano ; and, from the account of the inhabitants, 

 they are very feldom troubled with dorms of this kind, and 

 never but in a flight degree. The general feverity of the 

 winter, as well as the dreadful hurricanes of wind and fnow 

 that feafon brings along with it, cannot be queflioned, from 

 the fubterraneous habitations the natives are under a necef- 

 fity of retiring to, for warmth and fecurity. Major Behm 

 told us, that the cold and inclemency of the winter of 1779 

 was fuch, that, for feveral weeks, all intercourfe between 

 the inhabitants was intircly (topped* every one being afraid 

 to ftir even from one houie 10 another, for fear of being 

 frofl-bitten. This extraordinary rigour of climate, in fo low 



a la- 



