18 GOVERNOR OF KAMTSCHATKA. 



away by his hair ; yet was he compelled to con- ., 

 quer and overpower her resistance, or to con 

 tinue in unrewarded servitude. When, how 

 ever, the catching was accomplished, the fair 

 one herself proclaimed the victory, and the 

 marriage was celebrated. 



The present Kamtschatkans are an extremely 

 good-natured, hospitable, timid people ; in co 

 lour and features nearly resembling the Chinese 

 and Japanese. They all profess the Christian 

 religion ; but secretly retain many of their hea 

 then customs, particularly that of killing their 

 deformed children. 



The town, or rather village, adjoining the 

 harbour of St. Peter and St. Paul, where the 

 present Governor of Kamtschatka, Captain 

 Stanizky, resides, though the principal place 

 in the peninsula, contains but few convenient 

 houses. The rest, about fifty in number, are 

 mere huts, irregularly scattered up the side of 

 a mountain. The inhabitants of this place, 

 which bears the same name as the harbour, are 

 all Russians, officers of the crown, sailors, dis 

 banded soldiers, and some insignificant traders. 



The Kamtschatkans live inland in little vil- 



