XIV.] ST. LAWRENCE ISLAND. 501 



paiiied me, though the seals were within range, to test their skill 

 as shots upon them. Perha2)s they were females of Jlistriophoca 

 faseiafa, whose beautifully marked skin (of the male) I had seen 

 and described at St. Lawrence Bay. The natives had a few dogs 

 but no reindeer, which however might find food on the island in 

 thousands. No hayals were in use, but large laydars of the 

 same construction as those of the Chukches. 



St. Lawrence Island was discovered during Behrinir's first 

 voyage, but the first who came into contact with the natives was 

 Otto von Kotzebue^ (on the 27th June 181G, and the •20th July 

 1817). The inhabitants had not before seen any E uropeans, and 

 they received the foreigners with a friendliness which exposed 

 Kotzebue to severe suffering. Of this he orives the followins;- 



o o o 



account : — 



" So long as the naturalists wandered about on the hills I stayed 

 with my acquaintances, who, when they found that I was the 

 commander, invited me into their tents. Here a dirty skin was 

 spread on the floor, on which I had to sit, and then they came in 

 one after the other, embraced me, rubbed their noses hard against 

 mine, and finished their caresses by spitting in their hands and 

 then stroking me several times over the face. Although these 

 proofs of friendshij) gave me very little pleasure, I bore all 

 patiently ; the only thing I did to lighten their caresses some- 

 Avliat was to distribute tobacco leaves. These the natives received 

 with great pleasure, but they wished immediately to renew their 

 proofs of friendship. Now I betook myself with speed to knives, 

 scissors, and beads, and by distributing some succeeded in averting 

 a new attack. But a still greater calamity awaited me when in 

 order to refresh me bodily they brought forward a wooden tray 

 with whale blubber. Nauseous as this food is to a European 

 stomach I boldly attacked the dish. This, along with new presents 

 which I distributed, impressed the seal on the friendly relation 

 between us. After the meal our hosts made arrangements 

 for dancing and singing, which was accompanied on a little 

 tambourine." '^ 



^ Kotzebue says that he was the first seafarer who visited the island. 

 This however is incorrect. Billings landed there on the 1st August ('21st 

 July). 1791. From the vessel some natives was seen and a bfnjdar which 

 was rowed along the coast. The natives however were frightened by some 

 gunshots fired as a signal (Sarytchev's Eeise, ii. p. 91, Saner, p. 239). 

 Billings says that the place where he landed (the south-east point of the 

 island) was nearly covered with bones of sea-animals. It would be impor- 

 tant to have these thoroughly examined, as it is not impossible that Steller's 

 sea-cow (Rhytina) may in former times have occasionally come to this 

 coast. At all events important contributions to a knowledge of thesiiecies 

 of whales in Behring's Straits may be gained here. 



2 Otto von Kotzebue. Entdechunga-Reise an die Sud-See und nach der 

 Behring-Strasse, 1815-18. Weimar, 1821, i. p. 135; ii. p. 104; iii. pp. 171 

 and 178. 



