VI.] SHE ROW MY. 133 



remains of many half-eaten fish lay on the banks. The bears are 

 said by Kittlitz and others only to eat the head and upper part 

 when the sahnon are plentiful, but in almost every case we found 

 that, though the head had been crunched up, it had, together with 

 the tail and intestines, invariably been rejected. We were never 

 fortunate enough to witness these animals fishing, but we were 

 told that they w^alk slowly into the water where it is about eighteen 

 inches in depth, and facing down stream, stand motionless awaiting 

 their prey. The incautious fish, swimming heedlessly up the river, 

 doubtless mistakes the bear's broad legs for a rock or tree-stump, 

 and those who have once witnessed the almost lio;htnino;-like 

 rapidity of a stroke from Bruin's fore-paws will have no difticulty 

 whatever in completmg the drama for themselves. The fish is 

 apparently always taken to the bank to be devoured, for even 

 the small ones do not seem to be eaten whole. 



Sherowmy, or Sherowm, — for the Kamschatkans are fond of 

 clipping the exuberance of their words, and turn Kamakoffskaya 

 into Kamaki, — is a pretty little village of nine houses and forty- 

 three inhabitants, situated on a branch of the Kamschatka Eiver 

 close to its junction with the latter. To the south lie a few acres 

 of level grass and land enclosed by rough fencing, which give a 

 home -like effect and an air of permanence which is wanting in 

 most Kamschatkan settlements ; while to the west and north flows 

 the river, its banks thickly clothed with trees. The people, 

 although a more or less mixed race, as are those of all the villages 

 we had hitherto visited, nevertheless exliibited strong evidences 

 of their Kamschatdale origin, and the high cheek-bones and 

 general duskiness of complexion were in some cases very notice- 

 able. They were very civil and willing to help us ; and later in 

 our journey we learnt to hail the preponderance of the Kamschat- 

 dale element with pleasure, for we then felt sure of meeting with 

 none of the surliness of demeanour and barefaced extortion that 

 seemed to be the leadinsj characteristics of the half-breed Siberian 

 Eussians. 



