THE PACIFIC O CE A N. 



■ 



359 



■ 

 CHAP. VII. 



General Account of Kamtfchatha continued. — Of the In- 

 habitants. — Origin of the Kamtfchadales, — Difcovered 

 by the Ruffians. — AbftraSi of their Hijlory. — Numbers. 

 — Prefent State. — Of the Ruffian Commerce in Kamt- 

 fchatka. — Of the Kamtfchadale Habitations and 

 Drefs. — Of the Kurile JJIands. — The Koreki. — The 

 Ifchurjki. 



TH E prefent inhabitants of Kamtfchatka are of three 

 forts. The natives, or Kamtfchadales. The Ruf- 

 fians and CofTacks : and a mixture of thefe two bv mar- 

 riage. 



Mr. Steller, who refided fome time in this country, and 

 feems to have taken great pains to gain information on this 

 fubjed, is perfuaded, that the true Kamtfchadales are a 

 people of great antiquity, and have for many ages inha- 

 bited this peninfula ; and that they are originally de- 

 fcended from the Mungalians, and not either from the Ton- 

 gufian Tartars, as fome, or the Japanefe, as others have 

 imagined. 



The principal arguments, by which he fupports thefe 

 opinions, are : That there exifts not among them the trace 

 of a tradition of their having migrated from any other 

 country : that they believe themfclves to have been created 



and 



'779- 

 October. 



