RAM 



*415 



K A M 



Bo.in.ries 

 and extent. 



Diswvery. 



Mounuiai. 



tan. 



The Little Kammeni, where are seen six craters 

 by which the \olcuno vomited forth the imbalances 

 that compose it, is equally naked and barren ; but the 

 Great Kanuneni, more ancient, is covered with a thin 

 stratum of a dut, which allows a few herbs to grow 

 in it." See Sonnini'a Trtrvei*. 



RAM 1 >< M \ IK \. Urge peninsula in the southl- 

 eastern ext rein ity of Siberia, is situated between I55 3 

 all ,i : I .one. from Greenwich, and extends 



fron ' latitude. It is bounded on 



the west by the sea of Okotsk, or Kamtschatka ; on the 

 east and smith by the Pacific Ocean ; and on the north 

 by the country of the Konaks, from which it is separa- 

 ted !>y an iathmut about 4O miles broad, lying between 

 the gii'iN of ()liuork and Pentrinsk. From this junc- 

 tion with the m.imUnd to its most southern point, it 

 tr-tches about 60O miles ; and is nearly half that dis. 

 in breadth, from the mouth of the Tegil to that 

 of the Kamtchatka river, in the latitude of 55', hut 

 becomes gradually narrower towards each extremity, 

 terminating on the south in a low promontory, called 

 Cape l^patka. 



K .mtsohatka wa first discovered by the Russians 

 about the year I (I'M) ; hut the native* preserve a tradi- 

 tion of a much earlier visit from that people. They 

 point out the pot where a few strangers from Russia 

 settled, and intermarried in the country, who were af- 

 terward* murdered in a quarrel with the natives ; and 

 tin- ccimnt it Mipj'Osed to describe the fate of a ship's 

 crew belonging to small squadron, which sailed from 

 maixMit the middle of the 17th century. The 

 whole |ieninula was finally subdued by the Russian 

 arm* in 1711 ; but, lor some tine, added little to the 

 trade or wealth of the empire, except a small tribute of 

 fun. After the discovery, however, of tit* adjoining 

 island*, (sec ALEUTIAN, BCCBIMG, and F<>i 

 the supply of furs was greatly increased, ami R 

 ka became an important station of Ruwiao commerce 

 with the eart. The peninsula is divided into four dis- 

 trict*, forming one government, and protected by a force 

 of 500 men. 



The peninsula of Kamtachatka is traversed through 

 it- whole length, and divided into two parts of nearly 

 equal extent, by a chain of mountain*, winch form a 

 part of the sam-.- line with thone of the Kiirilt ami Ja- 

 pan island*. In these MwntanM are several volcanoes : 

 one on the summit of Kamtsenatka. the highest of the 

 whole ridge ; another on a neck of land, between the 

 river Kimtschatka and TollMlichrok ; and a third to 

 the north f AwaNka bay, called Awachinaky, which 

 frequently emit, immense vnlsinm of smoke, *sh*m. 

 and flame. There at* several hot spring* in the coun- 

 which never frere; ami two extraordinary well*, 

 where the water boils with prodigious force, sending 

 forth at the same time dense vapour and dreadful 

 noise. 



From the mountains, many rapid stmmiat descend to 

 the mast. The principal nvers are the Teghil, which 

 Mis into the sea of Penckinabe, in 58* North Lati- 

 tude; the Bolchaia-reka, or Great River, which 

 flow* from a large inland lake, and fall-, into the *ea 

 of Oknfk. in f,'^ 45' North latitude; the Awata- 

 eha, flows into the bay of Peter or Paul, on the 

 east side of the peninsula ; and the Kamtachatka, 

 the only navigable river in the country, which, after 

 a long course towards the north and north-cast, joins 

 the Kastern Ocean in 5rU North Latitude The 

 moat considerable lakes are Nrrpitche, near the mouth 

 of the Kamtsdutka ; Kronotakny farther south, above 

 50 vent* long and 4O broad ; and the Kurilskoy, near 



the southern extremity of the peninsula. On the east- Kamtschat- 

 ern side are several large bays, and especially that of ** 

 Awatska, in 52 *4' North Latitude, about 25 miles in Sl "V"" 

 circuit. 



The principal ostrogs, or towns, are Bolcheretsk, the Settlements 

 residence of the governor, containing about 300 inhabi- and towns, 

 tnnts, and situated on the west coast, in a swampy plain, 

 at the mouth of the Botchaia-reka ; Peterpaulowska, or 

 Peter and Paul, containing about SO houses, and situa- 

 ted in the bottom of AwaUka bay, on the east coast, 

 about 135 miles distant from Bolcheretsk; Ni.-lmei- 

 Kamtschatka, about 20 miles up the river Kamtschatka, 

 a considerable mart for the inland traffic of the country, 

 defended by a tort, and containing 1.5(1 houses. Several 

 forts are planted along the coast, in the vicinity ot which 

 a few houses are found ; but the inhabitants are thinly 

 scattered over the country, in solitary huts, or small 

 hamlets, scarcely deserving the name of villages. 



The appexrance of the country is mountainous, co- Aspect and 

 vered with k>w heath and .-turned trees ; but the vallies toil, 

 afford every evidence of considerable natural fertility, 

 and might, by proper cultivation, be made capable of 

 raising many valuable productions. They produce grass 

 five feet in height ; and abound in wild roses and flowers 

 of tin- finest perfume. The climate has hitherto been 

 considered as peculiarly adverse to all agricultural im- 

 provements ; but later writers have given a more fa- 

 vourable representation of its capabilities ; and Kru- 

 senitern particularly affirms, tht it is not inferior to 

 that of any northern country under the same latitude. 

 On the coast, and in the southern districts, frequent climate. 

 fogs and drizzling rains, which are very injurious to 

 the growth of grain and vegetables, prevail to a great 

 degree even in the cummer months ; but the northern, 

 and especially the middle districts, present a more fruit- 

 ful soil, and |>ossess a more genial climate. The win- 

 ter is long and severe ; and dreadful hurricanes, which 

 bring on thi k nnd heavy showers of snow, occasionally 

 prevent all operations out of the house, and all travelling 

 from one place to another. 1'hesnow begins to appear 

 >!MT ; and no thaw takes place till April or May. 

 Than are generally heavy rains in spring and autumn ; 

 but the summer months. June, July and August, and 

 even September, " have just as many pleasant and 

 abeerful day*." says the last mentioned navigator " as 

 in any other place under the same latitude ;" ' and the 

 month of June,' he particularly odds " was as beauti- 

 ful as it can possibly be in the most favoured climate. 



I '.i-n in the middle <>l M.IJ , wild garlic, celery, and Produe- 

 netlle-. may be gathered for use ; anil every kind ol' cuU tion*. 

 titution in i\ In- commenced in the month of June. Se- 

 veral useful vegetable* grow naturally in the summer 

 months, particularly wild pease, wild garlic, celery, pur. 

 slane, angelica, and saraua ; but, either from ignorance 

 or prejudice, the natives, ami even the RuKiian soldiers, 

 rarely collect them as articles of food. Towards the 

 end of summer, there in a great plenty of raspberries, 

 strawberries, huckleljerries, and several other kinds, 

 which are often boiled to a jam tor preservation through 

 the winter. Every kind of vegetable and corn may be 

 raised in the inland districts, especially rye and barley; 

 and even on the southern coasts, the gardens of the 

 Ruaatan officers produce potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and 

 every kind ot sallad and pot-herb in sufficient abun- 

 dance. The soil is so productive, that at Bolcheretzk, 

 where the climate is rather more unfavourable, pota- 

 toes produced mure than thirty- fold ; and in other 

 places, without the least attention, rye returns eight- 

 fold, and barley twelve-fold. Hemp has been cultiva- 

 ted with. groat success ; and the different kinds of Si 



