v.] STARI-OSTROG. 91 



among them was no trace of Cook. Presently we came upon 

 that imperturbable gentleman, placidly smoking a cigarette. He 

 explained the matter in a few words: — "Very sorry, sir, but" 

 (indicating the horse) " I've never been shipmates along o' one of 

 them things before I" 



We crossed the river in two dug-out canoes lashed together. 

 These boats are as a rule small, and without attempt at elegance 

 in shape, such as one sees in Borneo and other parts of the Malay 

 Archipelago. Where the rivers are shallow, long poles are used to 

 propel them, and indeed the natives always seem to prefer this 

 implement to the paddle, wherever its use is possible. The Avatcha 

 Eiver is here about eighty yards in breadth ; shallow for the most 

 part, but with a centre channel about seven feet deep. It appeared 

 to be teeming with salmon. Stari-ostrog, situated on the right 

 bank, consists of ten huts and a large number of fish-drying sheds. 

 The long Kamschatkan winters, during which it is difficult to 

 procure food of any kind, and the consequent necessity of fish as 

 an article of diet for almost every living creature in the settlements 

 — the cows and horses even not excepted — create a need for a very 

 large number of these buildings ; and the consequence is that, to 

 the eye of the new-comer, the villages appear very greatly larger 

 than they really are. Scanty as the population of this wild country 

 is, the amount of salmon annually consumed is absolutely enormous. 

 At this little village, for instance, we were told that, during the 

 season, 20,000 fish would be no uncommon catch for a single day ! 

 Here, however, owing to there being no other settlements higher 

 up the liver, they are permitted to stake the stream right across 

 from bank to bank, and the number of fish thus obtamed may 

 probably be in excess of that in other places. The labour expended 

 in gathering so abundant a harvest is, of course, very considerable, 

 and during the season the inhabitants work day and night to get 

 in a sufficient supply for the winter. 



We were greeted by the headman and brought to his house, 

 where we were regaled with milk, sour cream, coarse rye bread. 



