THIRD VOYAGE 359 



" As the island supplies them with food, so it does, in a 

 greater measure, with clothing. This consists chiefly of 

 skins, and is perhaps the best they could have. The upper 

 garment is made like our waggoner's frock, and reaches 

 as low as the knee. Besides this, they wear a waistcoat 

 or two, a pair of breeches, a fur cap, and a pair of boots, 

 the soles and upper leathers of which are of Russian leather, 

 but the legs are made of some kind of strong gut. 



" There are Russians settled upon all the principal islands 

 between Oonalashka and Kamtschatka, for the sole purpose 

 of collecting furs. Their great object is the sea beaver or 

 otter. I never heard them inquire after any other animal, 

 though those whose skins are of inferior value are also 

 made part of their cargo. 



" It is now time to give some account of the native in- 

 habitants. To all appearance they are the most peaceable, 

 inoffensive people I ever met with. And as to honesty, 

 they might serve as a pattern to the most civilized nation 

 upon earth. But, from what I saw of their neighbours, 

 with whom the Russians have no connection, I doubt 

 whether this was their original disposition, and rather 

 think that it has been the consequence of their present 

 state of subjection. 



" These people are rather low of stature, but plump and 

 well shaped, with rather short necks, swarthy chubby faces, 

 black eyes, small beards, and long, straight, black hair, 

 which the men wear loose behind, and cut before ; but the 

 women tie up in a bunch. 



" Both sexes wear the same in fashion ; the only differ- 

 ence is in the materials. The women's frock is made of 

 seal-skin, and that of the men of the skins of birds, both 

 reaching below the knee. This is the whole dress of the 

 women. But over the frock the men wear another made 

 of gut, which resists water, and has a hood to it, which 

 draws over the head. Some of them wear boots, and all of 

 them have a kind of oval-snouted cap, made of wood, with 

 a rim to admit the head. 



" They make use of no paint, but the women puncture 

 their faces slightly ; and both men and women bore the 

 under lip, to which they fix pieces of bone. 



' Their food consists of fish, sea animals, birds, roots, 

 and berries, and even of sea-weed. They eat almost every- 

 thing raw. Boiling and broiling were the only methods 

 of cookery that I saw them make use of, and the first was 

 probably learnt from the Russians. 



" I was once present when the Chief of Oonalashka made 

 his dinner on the raw head of a large halibut, just caught, 

 which he swallowed with as much satisfaction as we should 



