THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 



349 



is in other countries ; fince it appears, that neither the in- 

 habitants, nor the only domeflic animal they have, the dog, 

 could exift without it. 



Whales are frequently feen, both in the fea of Okotfk, 

 and on the fide of the Eaftern ocean, and, when caught, 

 are turned to a variety of ufes. Of the fkin they make the 

 foles of their fhoes, and (traps and thongs for various other 

 purpofes. The flefh. they eat, and the fat is carefully 

 ftored, both for kitchen ufe, and for their lamps. The 

 whifkers are found to be the beft materials for fewing to- 

 gether the feams of their canoes ; they likewife make nets 

 of them for the larger kind of fifli ; and with the under 

 jaw-bones their fledges are mod. They likewife work 

 the bones into knives; and formerly the chains with 

 which their dogs are tied, were made of that material, 

 though at prefent iron ones are generally ufed. The in- 

 terlines they clean, then blow and dry like bladders, and 

 it is in thefe their oil and grcafe is ftored ; and of the nerves 

 and veins, which are both ftrong, and flip readily, they 

 make excellent fnares ; fo that there is no part of the whale 

 which here does not find its ufe. 



From the middle of May, till our departure on the 24th of 

 June, we caught great quantities of excellent flat fifli, trout, 

 and herrings. Upward of three hundred of the former, . be- 

 fides a number of fea-trout, were dragged out at one hawl 

 of the feine, the 15th of May. Thefe flat fifli are firm, and 

 of a good flavour, ftudded upon the back with round prickly 

 knobs, like turbot, and ftreaked with dark brown lines, 

 running from the head toward the tail. About the end of 

 May the firfl herring feafon begins. They approach in 



great 



1779- 

 O&ober. 



