INDIANS OF ROSS. 127 



der about naked, and, when not employed by 

 the Russians as day-labourers, follow no occu- 

 pation but the chase. They are not difficult in 

 the choice of their food, but consume the most 

 disgusting things, not excepting all kinds of 

 worms and insects, with good appetite, only 

 avoiding poisonous snakes. For the winter 

 they lay up a provision of acorns and wild rye : 

 the latter grows here very abundantly. When 

 it is ripe, they burn the straw away from it, and 

 thus roast the corn, which is then raked together, 

 mixed with acorns, and eaten without any far- 

 ther preparation. The Indians here have in- 

 vented several games of chance : they are pas- 

 sionately fond of gaming, and often play away 

 every thing they possess. Should the blessing 

 of civilization ever be extended to the rude in- 

 habitants of these regions, the merit will be 

 due to the Russian settlements, certainly not 

 to the Spanish missions. 



After a stay of two days, we took leave of the 

 estimable M. Von Schmidt, and returned by 

 the same way that we came, without meeting 

 with any remarkable occurrence. Professor 

 Eschscholtz remained at Ross, in order to pro- 



