210 FROM KAMTSCHATKA 



morse-bones, ornamented with blue glass beads, 

 which gives them a most f Vightftd appearance. Their 

 hair hangs down long, but is cut quite short on the 

 crown of the head. Their head and ears are also 

 adorned with beads. Their dresses, which are 

 made of skins, are of the same cut as the Parka in 

 Kamtschatka ; only that there it reaches to the 

 feet, and here hardly covers the knee ; besides this, 

 they wear pantaloons, and small half-boots, of 

 seal- skin. 



Though the thermometer was only eight degrees 

 heat at noon, it was now summer with the Indians, 

 and they went barefoot and almost without clothing. 

 They collected in troops ; and, as I saw more bay- 

 dares coming from the W., I thought it more pru- 

 dent, lest I should have to contend with fifteen men 

 against some hundred of Americans, to go on 

 board, whither we were followed by our new ac- 

 quaintance, loudly rejoicing at the superior celerity 

 of their boats. On the shore, we observed a round 

 tower, built of stone, from three to four fathoms 

 high, and one in diameter ; and I very much 

 regret that I was not able to examine it more 

 closely. The Indians would not venture on board, 

 but kept at a little distance from the ship, and sold 

 us many trifles of their workmanship for knives, 

 looking-glasses, tobacco, &c. They would not sell 

 the skins, of which they had many, as we had no 

 long knives to give them in exchange, for which 

 alone they would part with their black fox-skins. 



