THE RUSSIAN FUR-SEAL ISLANDS. 
33 
enough. The liang-ear dogs are furthermore distinguished by having the regular dog 
bark, while the Kamchatkan dogs can oidy howl. 
The recent introduction of reindeer into Bering Island seems to have been a 
success. Hutchinson, Kohl, Philippeus & Co., in 1S82, by the efforts of Dr. B. 
Dybowski, secured 4 male and 11 female reindeer in Kiunchatka, which were safely 
landed on Bering Island -Inly 15. During the following winter 2 females were killed 
by natives, but the herd increased by the birth of G or 7 calves. The reindeer took 
up 5 >astures in the southern, Tiiountainons part of the island, and are said to have 
multiplied rapidly. I did not see them in 1895, but 1 heard estimates of their number 
varying between GOO and 1,000 deer. A careful selection of bucks for killing would 
add to the fresh-meat snpi)ly, and at the same time promote the rapid increase of 
the herd. 
It is not improbable that the reindeer might do well on Copper Island, in spite of 
the smaller size of the island, but I am inclined to the belief that the introduction of 
a suitable, hardy race of goats would be a better investment. 
A few hens and tame ducks are kept in the villages on both islands. 
A glance at the meteorological tables, pages 13-17, will show that any agricul- 
ture, in the proper sense of the word, is out of the question. On Bering Island there is 
a half-hearted, half- successful attemiit at raising a few vegetables. Formerly most of 
the native families had “ gardens” at Staraya Gavau, where turnips and potatoes were 
raised with varying success. The place was entirely too far from the main village, 
however, and new gardens have been started at Fedoskia, on the west coast, a few 
miles south of Nikolski. In 1895 there was only one man who still had a vegetable 
patch at Staraya Gavan. I believe that this industry could be made more successful 
if the natives were taught proper methods. One common error now comndtted is that 
all the vegetables are planted entirely too close together. It would also be necessary 
to look out for hardy plant seeds and seed potatoes raised in a northern climate. 
The fuel used by the natives consists of coal and birch wood, the latter brought 
from Kamchatka and sold by the company, and of driftwood collected by the natives 
along the beaches. The latter article is very uncertain and is now often very scarce, 
though formerly abundant enough. Coal, on account of the long transportation, is 
expensive, and, like the birch wood, requires cash to imi’chase it. A couple of ship- 
loads of the latter are required every year, and while the supply in Kamchatka is 
almost limitless at the present time, yet it is not so accessible now at places where 
there are people to cut it and where it can be loaded into a vessel. With the 
decreasing number of seals affecting the revenues both of the natives and of the 
company, the day does not seem distant when the former will be unable to buy, while 
the latter may find it unprofitable to have a steamer constantly plying between the 
islands and Kamchatka. Knowing, moreover, that the fuel question was a grave one 
on the other Aleutian Islands and that jieat bogs may be exi^ected to be found on 
many of the latter, as they occur on Bering Island, I undertook, in 1883, to investigate 
tliem and to bring samples of peat home for analysis. East of Nikolski, behind the 
sheltering hills and sand-dunes, a large swamp extends back to the foot of the three 
Saranna Baidar Mountains, covering several square miles. In suitable localities large 
beds of peat of excellent quality are found. On June 15, 1883, 1 bad a couple of men 
cut about 350 pieces of peat from near the surface. The pieces, averaging about 2 
by IG by 8 inches, were spread out on a hillside to drain, and ten days later they 
r. C. B. 1896—3 
