K A M T S C H A T K A. 



417 



id to have been recently rectified ; and more atten- 

 tion has, in many respects, been paid by the govern- 

 ment, to promote the prosperity both of the natives and 

 Russian settlers. Free schools have long been esta- 

 blished in many of the ostrogs ; and all the inhabitants 

 have been led to adopt the Christian religion. But by 

 the most recent accounts, it appears that most of the 

 Greek priest* sent among them, are very inattentive to 

 the duties of their office, and have very generally for- 

 feited the respect of the natives. No correct estimate 

 can be formed of the population of the country. When 

 first subdued by the Russians, it was described as full 

 of inhabitants; but, in 1~'JS, many thousands were 

 wept away by the small-pox ; and, 'in 17SO, the num- 

 ber of persons who paid tribute was only 3000. Kru- 

 enrtern states, that in 1800 and 1801, .WOO or 6000 

 pernhed by another epidemic disorder ; and7 supposing 

 one-fourth of the numlx-r to have l>en householders, 

 liable in payment of tribute, this would reduce the above 

 number of taxable persons to one-half, viz. 1500, and 

 (allowing to each a wife and three children) the whole 

 population to between "OOO and 8000 souls. Their 

 number has been rapidly decreasing, even without the 

 aid of epidemics ; and apprehensions .ire entertained, 

 that the native race of inhabitants will soon become 

 extinct. One principal cause of this progressive de- 

 solation, is to be sought in the pernicious effects of ar- 

 dent spirits, which have hitherto been made the chief 

 article of barter for their fur, and in the use of which 

 the Kamtschadale villager is utterly incapable of prac- 

 tising the smallest self-denial. The agents of the 

 American Company, and the other merchant*, have 

 long been in the habit of traversing the country with no 

 dter ware* than a quantity of the worst kind of pin. 

 As soon a* one of them arrived at an ostrog, he treats 

 hi* host with a gla of the liquor, who. as soon as he 

 has swallowed one mouthful, which he receives for no- 

 thing, instantly begs for another, for which, however, 

 he must pay perhaps with one of his best sables ; and 

 so on for a second and a third, till he begins to be in- 

 toxicated, when the trader contrives to gtve him spirit 

 mixed with water, still charging higher for every gl.ss, 

 as the unhappy peasant becomes the more urgent in 

 fan demands tar more of the poison. The usual result 

 at the merchant carries off the whole stock of furs 

 in the boose a* the price of the spirits drunk ; and that 

 the infatuated Kamtschadale finds himself deprived of 

 ail hi* wealth, without having provided the powder and 

 shot, and the other articles, which are indispensable for 

 ipport. The debilitating effict of the liquor on 

 his frame, the depression of spirit* into which he sinks, 

 and the want of those comforts, which, by his miscon- 

 duct, he has lost the means of procuring, speedily ex- 

 hausts his strength, and sinks him prematurely to the 

 grave. The governor, however, lias recently prohibi- 

 ted the traders from carrying spirits into the country ; 

 and by such regulations only, can the natives be pre- 

 *rved from extirpation. They are, in other respects, a 

 very estimable race, " not easily to he surpassed," says 

 Knuen'tern, "t<>r kindness of heart fidelity, obedience, 

 hospitality, perseverance, and attachment to their su- 

 periors.'' In spite of their extreme poverty, they are 

 patterns of honesty. " In this respect," says the last 

 mentioned voysger, " it is impossible to exceed them ; 

 nd it is as rare to find a cheat among the Kamtscha- 

 dales as a man of property." Travellers, on their arri- 

 val at any ostrng, usually give their money, papers, and 

 valuables', even their stock of brandy, tea, sugar, tobac- 

 co, Ace.' into the hands f the tayon ; and there M no in* 



VOL. XII. FART II. 



stance of any one having been robbed to the smallest Kamtschat- 

 extent. In many respects, the Russian settlements , 1 _J"' , 

 could not exist without the services of the natives. They *~-~ m 

 serve as guides through the country, and as carriers of 

 the mail, which they are required to do without pay ; 

 and, of their own accord, they engage to lodge every 

 traveller, and to supply his dogs with provisions, with- 

 out demanding any remuneration. In every ostrog, 

 there is a supply of fish set apart for this purpose. They 

 nre more barbarous in their manners than in their minds, 

 and have made very little progress in the arts of civili- 

 zed life. They never inhabit the towns built by the 

 Russians, but reside in small villages scattered over the 

 interior districts. These ostrogs rarely contain more 

 than fifteen or twenty inhabitants. 



The Kamtschatka hamlets are surrounded by an Houses 

 earthen wall, or by pallisades, (as the Russian name os- 

 trog imports,) and contain two sorts of habitations, one 

 kind, called balagans, for summer, and another, named 

 your-its, for winter. The balagan is constructed, by 

 erecting nine posts in three regular rows, at equal dis- 

 tances from each other, and about thirteen feet in height. 

 About ten feet from the ground, rafters are laid troiu 

 post to post, and firmly fastened with strong ropes or 

 thongs ; and upon these rafters are laid joists, which 

 being covered with turf, complete the floor of the apart- 

 ment. Upon this platform, a roof of a conical figure i< 

 raised by means of strong ]x>les, fastened to the rafters 

 at one end, and meeting together in a point at the 

 other. The whole is COMTK! with a thatching of coarse 

 grass, except an opening in the centre, to serve the 

 purpose of a chimney. There are two low entrances di- 

 rectly opposite to each other, to wliieh they ascend by 

 means of a ladder or staircase, which is merely a large 

 beam or tree, with rough notches on the upper surface, 

 by way of steps, with one end on the ground, and the 

 other resting on the corner of the door. When they 

 wish to intimate that there is nobody at home, they 

 merely turn the tree, with the steps downwards. In 

 the lower part of the balagan, which is left open, they 

 dry their fish, and other ;irtielp<, intended for winter 

 stores ; and sometimes employ the upper apartment as 

 a magazine for holding their provisions. Their dogs, 

 also, are frequently tied to the posts below, and find 

 their kennel under the floor of the building. In form- 

 ing a yourst, or winter habitation, an oblong square hole 

 is dug in the earth to the depth of six feet, and of Such 

 dimensions as the number of families intended to occu- 

 py it may require. Strong wooden posts are then fix- 

 ed in the ground at equal distances, on which are ex- 

 tended the l>eam> lor -importing the roof, the rafters of 

 which rest with one end on these beams, and the other 

 on the ground ; and the interstices between them be- 

 ing filled up with wicker work, a covering of turf is laid 

 the whole. The external appearance ef these 

 dwellings resembles the roof of an ice-house, or a round 

 squat rnllock. A hole in the centre of the roof, serves 

 the purpose of chimney, window, and door ; and the 

 inmates pass through it by means of notched trees, as 

 already described. There is another entrance on one 

 side level with the ground, appropriated for the use of 

 the women, and through which none of the men could 

 go out or in without incurring ridicule and disgrace. 

 The inside of this subterraneous abode forms only one 

 apartment, with the fire-place on one ride, and the 

 utensils ami provisions on the other. Hroad platforms 

 of boards are extended along the sides ; and, being well 

 covered with mats and skins, serve the purpose of seats 

 and beds. These houses are generally kept so warm, 

 3o 



