258 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. XV. 
sea-bear), of which from 20,000 to 50,000 ^ are killed yearly in 
the region. Some Russian authorities are also settled on the 
island to guard the rights of the Russian state and maintain 
order. Half a dozen serviceable wooden houses have been built 
here as dwellings for the officials of the Russian Government and 
the American Company, for storehouses, shops, &c. The natives 
live partly in very roomy and in the inside not uncomfortable 
turf houses, partly in small wooden houses which the company 
endeavours gradually to substitute for the former, by yearly 
ordering some wooden buildings and presenting them to the most 
deserving of the population. Every family has its own house. 
There is also a Greek-Catholic church and a spacious schoolhouse. 
The latter is intended for Aleutian children. The school was 
unfortunately closed at the time of dur visit, but, to judge by the 
writing books which lay about in the schoolroom, the education 
here is not to be despised. The specimens of writing at least 
were distinguished by their cleanness, and by an even and 
beautiful style. At “ the colony ” the houses were collected at 
one place into a village, situated near the sea-shore at a suitable 
distance from the fishing ground in a valley overgrown in summer 
by a rich vegetation, but treeless and surrounded by treeless 
rounded heights. From the sea this village has the look of a 
northern fishing station. There are besides some scattered 
houses here and there on other parts of the island, for instance 
on its north-eastern side, where the potato is said to be cultivated 
1 According to a communication made to me by Mr. Henry W. Elliot, 
who, in order to study the fur-bearing seals in the North Behring Sea, lived 
a considerable time at the Seal Islands (Pribylov’s Islands, &c.) on the 
American side, and has given an exceedingly interesting account of the 
animal life there in his work : A Report upon the Condition of Affairs in the 
Territory of Alaska, Washington, 1875: the statement in my report to 
Dr. Dickson, founded on oral communications of Europeans whom I met 
with at Behring Island, that from 50,000 to 100,000 animals are killed 
yearly at Behring and Copper Island, is thus probably somewhat ex¬ 
aggerated. 
