VIII.] A KAMSGHATKAN DANCE. 183 



two Swedes, who stood about six feet three in their stockings, had 

 their heads among the dried fish and other odds and ends hanging 

 to the rafters. A number of empty bottles served in lieu of 

 candlesticks, and the illumination was conducted on a scale that 

 must have appeared little short of reckless to the Kamschatkans, 

 to whom a candle is an expensive luxury. In one corner w^as 

 stationed the band — an old fiddler, who, if hardly up to the 

 latest Strauss or Gung'l, was nevertheless able to give us the 

 dance -music most in vogue at Ust Kamschatka for an unin- 

 terrupted period of six hours. 



All the rank and fashion of the village were present. Around 

 the room sat fourteen individuals of what, in Europe, is termed 

 the fair sex. Here, I regret to say, they were so only in name. 

 No mean advantage, such as is obtained from the combmed effect 

 of champagne, wax lights, and gauzy dresses, had been taken of 

 the unsuspecting male, and it is curious how little false glamour is 

 thrown over an object by the aid of cranberries and corn brandy. 

 We gazed around the room and felt that for once our hearts were 

 safe. Our partners were — dare I whisper it ? — just a wee bit 

 fishy. Blush not, fair reader; the papas and mammas of the 

 young ladies were there to chaperon them, and the dance was 

 everything that was proper and correct, but Kamschatka is Kams- 

 chatka, and in lieu of the suspicion of " Wliite Rose " or " Ess " of 

 western civilisation, an extrait double of dried salmon lent its not 

 uncertain perfume to the ball-dresses of our partners. 



We performed our duty to society by going round the room 

 and solemnly shaking hands with everybody, which, we were told, 

 is the correct tiling upon these occasions ; and then, posting our- 

 selves in the doorway, we took stock of our surroundings before 

 embarking upon the serious business of the evening. The whole 



of the Nemds party were present. Above them all towered E 



the captain, and his first of&cer, who had been a lieutenant in the 

 Swedish Navy, and was one of the handsomest men I ever saw. 

 The seal-hunter attached to the schooner, a Hudson's Bay man, 



