; 5 ^ A V O Y A G E T O 



•779- pofition they wait, concealing themfelvcs very carefullv in 



Oftobcr. , , 



the boat, and keeping a fharp look-out for the fifh, which 

 always direct their courfe clofe in with the fhore, and whofe 

 approach is announced by a rippling in the water, till they 

 find that the fhoal has advanced beyond the boat, when they 

 fhoot the canoe to fhore in a direct line, and never fail of 

 inclofing their prey. Seldom more than two men are em- 

 ployed to a net, who hawl with facility, in this manner, 

 feines larger than ours, to which we appoint a dozen. We 

 at firft met with very poor fucccfs in our own method of 

 hawling ; but after the Kamtfchadales had very kindly put 

 us in the way, we were not lefs fuccefsful than themfelves. 

 In the rivers, they fhoot one net acrofs, and hawl another 

 down the ftrcam to it. 



The lakes that have a communication with the fea, which 

 was the cafe of all thofe that I faw, abound with fifh, that 

 have very much the refemblance of fmall falmon, and are 

 from four to fix pounds weight. I could not underftand that 

 the inhabitants thought it worth their while to fifh for them. 

 As thcfc lakes are not deep, they become an eafy prey to the 

 bears and dogs during the fummer ; and if I might judge 

 from the quantity of bones to be feen upon the banks, they 

 devour vail numbers of them. 



The inhabitants, for the mofl part, dry their falmon, and 

 fait very little of it. Each fifh is cut into three pieces, the 

 belly piece being firft taken off, and afterward a flice along 

 each fide the back-bone. The former of thefe are dried 

 and fmoked, and efleemcd the fincft part of the fifh, and 

 fold, when we were at St. Peter's and St. Paul's, at the rate 

 of one hundred for a rouble. The latter are dried in the 



air, 



