46 STELLER'S JOURNAL 



moss {Alga fontmalis),^^ which was bleached white by the sun 

 and of which I have kept a sample to be forwarded. — From all 

 this I think I may conclude that the inhabitants of this American 

 coast are of the same origin as the Kamchadals,^^ with whom they 

 agree completely in such peculiar customs and utensils, particu- 

 larly the preparation of the sweet grass, which have not been 

 communicated even to the Siberian natives nearest to Kam- 

 chatka, for instance the Tunguses and Koryaks. But if this is so, 

 then it may also be conjectured that America extends farther 

 westward and, opposite Kamchatka, is much nearer in the north, 

 since in view of such a great distance as we traveled of at least 

 500 miles, it is not credible that the Kamchadals would have been 

 able to get there in their miserable craft. 



The chopped-down trees, as I came across them here and there, 

 were miscut with many dull blows in such a way that in all likeli- 

 hood the cutting of trees must be done by these savages, as in 

 Kamchatka, with stone or bone axes similar to those used by the 

 Germans of old83 and known today as "thunderbolts." 



81 I owe to the kindness of Mr. R. S. Williams of the New York Botan- 

 ical Garden a note from Dr. M. A. Howe to the effect that " Alga fonti- 

 nalis, etc. Bauhin is quoted by Linnaeus as a synonym of Conferva 

 glomerala, now known as Cladophora glomerata, a freshwater filamentous 

 alga." Mr. Williams in addition expressed the opinion that some species 

 of Sphagnum must have been referred to by Steller as being used for 

 tinder. In this opinion he is upheld by Dr. Howe and Dr. Setchel. The 

 latter has collected algae along the Alaskan coast, and he informed Mr. 

 Williams that Cladophora does not occur in sufficient quantities to be 

 collected for tinder and that it is doubtful if it could be used as such, 

 even if obtainable in quantity. (S) 



82 Pallas completely ignores Steller's concurrent argument from the 

 identity of the fire-making apparatus given towards the end of the 

 transposed passage in the MS: "This is an almost certain proof that 

 this invention came from Kamchatka, consequently that both peoples 

 formerly had intercourse with each other or even that this people [the 

 American] is one with the Kamchatkan and has emigrated from it." 

 Steller finally concludes: "Be that as it may, most of the American 

 objects and inventions are identical with or only slightly different from 

 the Kamchatkan, or Asiatic, ones." (S) 



83 The MS has in addition "before the discovery of iron." 



