THE FUR-SEAL ISLANDS OF ALASKA. 



175 



SAAFKA (Russian). Harelda glacialis. "Old squaw," long-tailed duck. 



SCOOCHNIE (Russian). Tiresome; lonesome. 



SEECATCH, pi. SEECATCHIE (Russian). Male fur-seal and sea-lion, full grown. 



SEEVITCH, pi. SEEYITCHEE (Russian). Sea-lion, collectively. 



SEROTNAH (Russian). "Just like it." 



SHEKSAH (Russian). Empetrum nigrum. Vine and fruit thereof. The "crowberry" of English botanists. 



SNAGUISKIE (Russian). Plcctrophanes nivalis. The snow bird. 



STAROOKA (Russian). An old woman. 



STAREEK (Russian). An old man. 



STOORMAN (Russian). Ship's mate. 



TALXEEK (Russian). Salix. All the creeping willows are thus named. 



TARBOSSA (Russian). Native boots made of the flippers, throats, and intestines of the Pinnipedia. 



TAWPORKIE (Russian). Fratercula cirrhata. Tufted puffin; from its hatche*-like bilL 



TAYOPLI (Russian). Warm. 



TOLSTOI (Russian). Thick. 



TONKIE MEES (Russian). Little or peaked cape. 



TREESCA (Russian). Gadm morrhua. Codfish. 



[~x KOXCHIELSAH (Russian). " He has finished." The refined reference to human death ; never applied to animals. 



VARRONE (Russian). Corvm corax. Raven. 



VESOLIA MISTA (Russian). Jolly place. 



WHALE BIND (English). The skin of the whale. 



WIG (English). That light buff-colored patch on the shoulders of the seecatchie. 



ZAPOOSKA (Russian). A saving of, or sparing of. 



ZOOBADEX (Russian). "Tooth cut; tooth bitten." 



42. WEIGHTS, MEASURES, AND VALUES. 



I introduce the following brief tables of Russian weights, measures, and values, in order that the occasional 

 mention made by Veniaminov, in this respect, may be clearly understood, and also to assist any inquiring individual 

 who may be disposed to read up Russian authorities on the subject of their travel, geographical research, and fur- 

 trade in Alaska. 



WEIGHTS. 



1 zolotnik = 6 English grains av. 

 3zolotnik = 1 "Lot". 

 32 "lots" = 1 English ponnd av. 

 1 pood = 3G-, J (j English pounds av. 



MEASURES. 



1 arsheen = 28 English inches. 

 1 vershoak = If English inches. 

 I sajeen = 7 English feet. 

 3 versts 2 English miles. 



MONEY. 



1 copper kopeck = 1 silver kopeck. 



2 copper kopecks = 1 grosh. 



3 copper kopecks = 1 alteen. 



5 copper kopecks = 1 peetack. 

 5 silver kopecks = 1 peetak. 



= 1 greevnah. 



= 1 peteealtin. 



= 1 dvoogreevenik. 



= 1 chetvertak. 



= 1 polteenah. 



= 1 ruble.* 



10 silver kopecks 

 15 silver kopecks 

 20 silver kopecks 

 25 silver kopecks 

 50 f ilver kopecks 

 100 silver kopecks 



The gold coinage of Russia is seldom seen, even at home, and never has been used in Alaska; the form of its 

 toinage is known to Russians as an " Imperiale ", and is equal to about $5 of our currency. 



The word "ruble", according to Mr. S. N. Biiynitskie, comes from the Russian "roobeet", or, to hew with a 

 hatchet, because the practice of notching the bullion bars, as specified below, was one that called for the use of a 

 little ax for that purpose. In 1G34 rubles were first introduced to Russia, at Moscow, in the form of bullion bars, 

 with deep notches in them, " rubli,"' which enabled the possessor to detach as much of the bar as his payment 

 might require; hence the origin of the word ruble; the first silver money of Russia was coined at Novogorod in 



1420; it was struck in small pieces, which were then, as now, called 



the present value of the kopeck is 



not quite f of 1 cent (United States currency). Nearly all the ordinary business calculations of Russia are made 

 upon the basis of kopecks. At present, specie has substantially disappeared in that country, and depreciated paper is 



'The silver ruble is nearly equal to 75 cents in our coin. The paper ruble fluctuates in Russia from 40 to 50 cents, specie value; 

 in Alaska, it was rated at 20 cents, silver. Much of the "paper" currency in Alaska during Russian rule was stamped on little squares of 

 walrus hide. 



