190 FROM KAMTSCHATKA 



in stroking themselves several times with both their 

 hands, from the face to the belly, their first word 

 was Tobacco ! — of which I had some leaves, 

 handed to them, which they immediately put into 

 their mouths. I afterwards saw them smoking out of 

 small stone pipes, about the size of a thimble : they 

 repaid my presents with different articles of their 

 workmanship. After this friendly barter, I con- 

 tinued my way to the shore, which seemed to 

 frighten them very much, as they ran anxiously 

 to and fro, and some, probably only women, fled 

 into the mountains. Some of them came up to 

 us bravely enough ; but their fear, which they in 

 vain strove to hide under the mask of friendship, 

 was visible. At every thing we did they laughed 

 without bounds ; but as soon as any of our motions 

 excited the least suspicion of hostility, they assumed 

 a fierce look ; they prepared themselves partly for 

 flight and partly for resistance. Their friendship, 

 however, returned when they perceived their error, 

 and this sudden change from laughing to serious- 

 ness, gave their faces, which were smeared with 

 train-oil, an extremely comical appearance. We 

 landed opposite to the tents, followed by the 

 islanders ; ten or fifteen of whom assisted us, with 

 great readiness, to draw our boats on shore. This 

 place appeared to us to be visited only in the sum- 

 mer, when the islanders employ themselves in the 

 whale, morse, and seal fishery, as we perceived no 

 settled dweUings, only several small tents, built of 



