KFAMTSCHATKA. 
and burn up the neighboring forefts : clouds of fmoke fucceed, and darken the 
whole atmofphere, till difperfed by fhowers of cinders and afhes, which cover the 
country for thirty miles round. Earthquakes, thunder, and lightning, join to 
fill the horror of the fcenery at land; while at fea the waves rife to an uncommon 
height, and often divide fo as to fhew the very bottom of the great deep*. By 
an event of this kind was once expofed to fight the chain of fubmarine mountains 
which connected the Kuril ifles to the end of this great peninfula. I do not learn 
that they overflow with lava or with water, like the vulcanos of Europe. There 
are in various parts of the country hot fprings, not inferior in warmth to thofe of 
Iceland + : \ike them they in fome places form {mall jets d’eaux, with a great noife, 
but feldom exceed the height of a foot and a half ft. 
The climate during winter is uncommonly fevere; for fo low as Belcheret/k, 
lat. 52s 30, all intercourfe between neighbors is ftopped. They dare not ftir out 
for fear of being froft-bitten. Snow lies on the ground from fix to eight feet 
thick as late as AZay; and the ftorms rage with uncommon impetuofity, owing to 
the fubterraneous fires, the fulphureous exhalations, and general yulcanic difpo- 
fition of the country. The prevaling winds are from the weft, which paffing 
over the frozen wilds of Sibiria and Tartary, add keennefs and rigour to the winters 
of Kamtfchatka. Winter continues till the middle of Fune: from that month to 
the middle of September may be called fummer, if a feafon filled with rain, and 
mifts, and ungenial fkies, merits that name. Rye, barley, and oats, are committed 
to the earth, but feldom come to perfection. The fubfiftence of the Rufians and 
Coffacks depends therefore on importation from Sibiria. In fome parts grafs grows 
to a great height, and hay of uncommon nutriment is harvefted for the fattening 
of cattle§. Grain is a luxury for the colonifts only: the natives have other 
refources, the effects of neceffity. Excepting in few places, this is a land of in- 
corrigible barrennefs. As foon as the fea otters and other pretious furs are ex- 
haufted, Kamt/chatka will be deferted by the Ruffians, unlefs they fhould think fit 
to colonize the continent of America, which the furs of that country, or the 
profpect of mineral wealth, may induce them to attempt. 
Few ores have as yet been difcovered in this peninfula: not that it wants either 
copper or iron; but every neceflary in thofe metals is imported at fo cheap a 
rate, that it is not worth while for a people ignorant in mining and fmelting to 
fearch for them in the almoft inacceflible mountains. 
From the climate and the barren nature of Kamt/chatka, the reader need not be 
® Defer. Kamt/ch. Fr. 4405 4416 + Voyage iii. 206, 332. } Defer. Kamtfch. Fr. 
348, and tab. iv. y. in which are given the courfe of the warm ftreams. § Poy, iii. 327. 
furprized 
Cxilt 
Hor Sprincs. 
CLIMATS. 
Ores. 
PLANTs; 
