CONTENTS 
CHAPTER I 
THE KURIL ISLANDS 
PAGES 
Geography — Nomenclature — Volcanoes — Earthquakes— 
Climate—Fauna, etc. - - - - 1-13 
CHAPTER II 
THE KURXLSKY AINU 
Customs, food, clothing, boats, dwellings—The Koropok- 
guru—Probable origin of the yurt - - 14-38 
CHAPTER III 
HOW I HUNTED THE SEA-OTTER 
Various modes of capture—Hunting from schooners—Use 
of the rifle—-Otters and “ breaching ”—Qualities neces¬ 
sary for a good hunter—Vessels and boats used— 
Vessels lost ----- 39-51 
CHAPTER IV 
FIRST EXPERIENCES 
Sea-otter hunters of Santa Barbara—The schooner Cygnet — 
Captain Kimberley’s discovery of sea-otter on the Kuril 
Island coasts—Author’s venture in schooner Swallow— 
vii 
