1 4 YESSO. 



mature one. Kunashir is an island full of interest 

 to the naturalist, but the climate is far too rigorous 

 for cultivation. The same may be said of the east 

 of Yesso. The temperature of the sea in the hottest 

 month, August, was only 38°, and in June and July 

 a few degrees lower. The cold stream from Behring's 

 Straits flows down along the line of the Kuril Islands, 

 and, washing the north-east and eastern shores of Yesso, 

 is the primary cause of the low temperature and the 

 constant fogs during summer. On ascending the 

 highest hills, which about Nemero or Akishi are not 

 above 300 feet in height, I have, even in that distance 

 or height, got above the dense fog and enjoyed bright 

 sunshine, and on one occasion I did so by only going 

 to the ship's masthead ! On leaving Nemero I followed 

 the north-east coast-line of the island for 400 miles 

 before reaching any shelter or anchorage. 



Eemaining a day or two where a small number of 

 Ainos and Japanese were settled, I went for a long 

 ramble through the oak forests, seeing great numbers 

 of deer. My coxswain, who was a few hundred yards to 

 my right, came across a bear in a tree ; he fired a charge 

 of slug at him, which only seemed to tickle the beast, 

 which got down the tree as fast as he could and 

 made off. 



A propos of these animals : the Ainos keep the young 



