2o8 DESCRIPTION OF BERING ISLAND 



[Streams] 



With regard to the objects of the threefold natural kingdom 

 which occur on this island, the excellent and wholesome water is 

 doubtless the most important among the minerals. 



Although the island is narrow compared with its length and 

 no stream has a course of more than five or six versts from its 

 source, the amount of water that occurs on it in the form of 

 springs is remarkable, inasmuch as the number of such streams 

 is over sixty and there are as many streams as there are valleys. 

 Some among them, especially those that flow out of inland 

 lakes, are so large besides that they have a width at their mouths 

 of 8, 10, to 12 fathoms, and a depth at high water of 2 to 3, some 

 few of 4 to 5 feet. The greater number of streams, however, 

 have no depth at their mouth, for the following three reasons: 

 that, although the land slopes down toward the sea, it suddenly 

 rises directly at the shore; that therefore the streams have a 

 rapid flow and at the obstacle at the shore divide into many 

 arms and are too weak to develop a regular channel; and that 

 for this reason they often shift their mouths and are choked here 

 and there ^^ by the sand washed up from the sea. 



In this respect the month of May is the most convenient to 

 look for a harbor on the island. For, when in July and August 

 the snow has completely melted, most of the streams are so 

 small that they hardly have a foot of water at their mouths. An 

 exception to this is the Ozernaya River, to which reference has 

 been made before.'^^ At that time [May], however, the streams 

 rise to such an extent after a continuous rain of two or three 

 days that they overflow their banks. 



Among the streams of this island there are many which 

 plunge down from high cliffs and mountains with great noise 

 and afford pleasing prospects. One stream I noticed that falls 



rationally explained from the casual development of the smaller. " The 

 passage referred to on the origin of mountains is above on pp. 198-199- 



" Instead of "here and there" the MS reads "constantly." 



" Above, pp. 201-202. 



