38 



MIGRATION OF THE REIN-DEER. 



The Tfchutfchi country is overgrown with yellow and white mofs, which 

 nourifhes vaft flocks of wild rein-deer. Thefe animals are accuftomed, in May 

 or Jutie, as foon as the Jnadyr'is clear from ice, to fwim over the river by thou- 

 fands, to the cold woodlefs countries towards the Icy fea, to fave themfelves fromi 

 infe<5ls ; and they retire again in Auguft^ and the beginning of September^ to the 

 woods, to change their.^horns. The neighboring inhabitants take the advantage 

 of their migration, to kill great numbers of them for their provifions. The 

 people are at this time particularly careful to avoid making much noife, or caufing 

 fmoke in thofe parts where the rein-deer pafs ; and watch the firfl: harbingers 

 of their arrival. The hunters aflemble in fmall boats, and when the herd of rein, 

 deer is croffing the river, they row amongfl: them, and kill with lances as many 

 as they can, which amount often to feveral hundreds. The herds crowd, 

 (during three whole days, fo clofe together, that they cannot efcape ; but after 

 three days the whole march is over, except by chartce a fmgle deer is now and 

 then feen. The greateft number of rein-deer killed in this encounter are females 

 (Wajhenki), which cannot fo eafily make their efcape, with their young ones, as 

 the bucks, who are always foremoft, and retire therefore fooner. The rein-deer 

 in thefe eaftern parts are in general much fmaller than elfewhere in Sibiria, the 

 largeft buck weighing no more than four puds, and a female about two and a 

 half. The flefh, which is dried for preferving, is tied together in bunches, which 

 contain two deer, and each bunch weighs a pud and half or two puds*. 



CXKXIII. Steller found, on Behring's ifland, two hundred and eleven fpecies of plants, 



of which more than a hundred grow in Sibiria, and other mountanous countries ; 

 many are common to the eaftern fide of Kamt/chatka and America. Brufh-wood 

 is only met with in the broadeft part of the ifland. Near the northern part are 

 fome fmall alders with fharp-pointed leaves, and fome wild rofes. The betula 

 nana grows in the marfhes ; and on the hills are fome fmall junipers, and i\\e forbtis 

 ewcuparia or wicken tree. 



The plants, not enumerated in the lift of thofe of this ifland, are 



Mimulus luteus. 

 Fumaria. 

 Pleris pedata. 



Polypodium fragrans. 

 Andromeda polyfolia. 



Cornus herbacea. 

 Epilobium anguftifolium. 

 Cochlearia danica. 

 Pulmonaria maritima. 



* A pud is 40 Rujian pounds, or 36 Englifi. Mr. Can, 



The 



