TO OONALASHKA. 251 



one of his men, who ran into the hut, and soon 

 returned with a fur-dress, which he laid at my feet. 

 But I remained faithful to my resolution, not to 

 accept any thing, and gained his confidence en- 

 tirely when I presented him with a m.edal, with 

 the effigy of our emperor, of whose worth I had 

 him informed by our interpreter* ; but he seemed 

 to know him already, as he was extremely glad. 

 The other Tchukutskoi now crept out of their 

 tents-, the men, as well as the women, coming in 

 a circle round us, and looking with great curiosity. 

 A young woman, at the command of the old 

 man, placed before us a dish of whale-blubber ; 

 which I could not prevail upon myself to taste, 

 because the first repast of this kind had given me 

 an invincible dislike to this food. I gained the 

 confidence and favour of the women, to the ut- 

 most, when I liberally distributed beads and 

 needles among them : the latter they called Te- 

 tita. On the repeated invitation of the old man, I 

 entered his tent, where every thing was in the 

 most uncleanly state : a very large copper-kettle 

 stood on the fire. The dwelling was divided by 

 skins, behind which were their warm beds, made 

 of skins ; a tea-kettle, and other iron goods, which 

 they receive from Colima, convince me that a 

 brisk trade is carried on with the Russians. It 

 was pretty late when we left their tent j when they 



* At East Cape one of the Tchukutskoi shewed wie a 

 copper snuff-box with the effigy of Catherine II. 



