5<f> K A M T s C 
mals, wliofe (kins form an extenfive article of commerce 
among the eaftern nations. But the fur-trade carried on 
from thence was very inconfiderable, until the iflands in 
the Sea of Kamtfchatka, particularly the Fox-iflands, (fee 
vol. ii. p. 63,) were difcovered ; fince which time the quan¬ 
tities of furs brought from thefe illands have greatly in- 
creafed the trade of Kamtfchatka, and rendered it an im¬ 
portant part of the Ruffian commerce. 
Capt. King, who vifited Kamtfchatka in 1779, gives a de- 
fcription of the country, from which the following is partly 
extra fled. Its fouthern extremity is Cape Lopatka, a word 
fignifying the blade-bone of a man, and is fo-called from 
its fuppofed refemblance to it. The fliape of the whole 
pen in Tula is not unlike that of a fhoe, widening from the 
toe (which we may fuppofe to be Cape Lopatka) toward 
the middle, and narrowing again toward the heel, a neck 
of land connecting it with the continent. A chain of high 
mountains (Ketches the whole length of the country from 
north to fouth, dividing it nearly into two equal parts, from 
whence a great number of rivers take their rife, and empty 
themfelves on each fide into the Pacific Ocean and the Sea 
of Ochotfk. The foil was barren, with not the fmallefl fpot 
of ground that refembled what is called in England a good 
green turf; or that feemed as if it could be turned to any 
advantage, either in the way of pafturage or other mode of 
cultivation. The face of the country in general was thinly 
covered with ftunted trees, having a bottom of mofs, mix¬ 
ed with low weak heath. The whole bore a more ftriking 
refemblance to Newfoundland than to any other part of 
the world I had ever feen. It muft, however, be obferved, 
that I faw at Paratounca three or four flacks of l'vveet and 
very fine looking hay ; and major Behm informed me, that 
many parts of the peninfula, particularly the banks of the 
river Kamtfchatka, and the Biftraia, produce grafs of 
great height and Itrength, which they cut twice in the 
iummer ; and that the hay is of a fucculent quality, and 
particularly well adapted to the fattening of cattle. It is 
natural to fuppofe, that the feverity of the climate muft be 
in the due proportion to the general fterility of the foil, 
of which it is probably the caufe. The firit time he faw 
this country was in the beginning of May 1779, when the 
whole face of it was covered with fnow from fix to eight 
leet deep. On the 15th of June, the thermometer had ne¬ 
ver rifen higher than 58°, nor the barometer than 30 0 4'. 
The winds blew almoft invariably from the eaftward dur¬ 
ing our flay, and the fouth-eaft was more prevalent than 
any other. On our return, the 24th of Auguft, the foli¬ 
age of the trees, and all other forts of vegetation, feemed 
to be in the utmoft Hate of perfection. For the remainder 
of this month, and through September, the weather was 
very changeable, but in no refpeCt fevere. But at the be¬ 
ginning of OCtober the tops of the hills were again cover¬ 
ed with new-fallen lnow, the wind continuing welterly. 
In computing the feafons, the fpring ought certainly not 
to be taken into the account. From the middle of June 
to the middle of September, may be properly faid to con- 
ftitute the Jammer. October may be conlidered as an au¬ 
tumnal month; from thence, till the middle of June, it is 
perfeCl winter. 
From Lefleps’s “ Travels in Kamtfchatka,” during the 
years 1787 and 1788, it appears that the Ruffian govern¬ 
ment had begun to pay lome attention to theobfcure na¬ 
tives of this forlorn trad, in order to (how them what might 
be effected, even there, by luitable exertions. It is a pleating 
miniature that relieves the eye on fo blank a ground, but 
Teems to have had no effect on the torpid minds to which it 
was exhibited. “In our way to Milkovai'a-Derevna, other- 
wife called the village of Milkoff,” fays Mr. Leifeps, “ we 
pafled a tolerably-large field inclofed with pilifades; and 
farther on a zaimka, that is, a hamlet inhabited by labourers. 
Thefe labourers were Cofacs, or Ruffian foldiers, employed 
in the cultivation of land on government-account. They 
had eighty horfes belonging to the crown, and which equally 
an Twer the purpofes of induftry, and of the ftud eltablifhed 
,tn this place for the propagation of animals fo ufeful and 
H A T K A. 
fo fcarce in the peninfula. About five hundred yards 
from this hamlet, which is called Ifchigatchi, upon an 
arm of the Kamtfchatka, is a water-mill built of wood, 
but not very large. No ufe could at prefent be made of 
it. The fwell of water had been fo great as to overflow 
the (luice, and to fpread itfelf over a part of the plain 
where it was frozen. The foil appeared to be good, and 
the country round it to be very pleafant. I queftioned 
the Cofacs upon the productions of their 'canton, where I 
conceived every fpecies of corn might be cultivated with 
fuccefs. They told me that their la ft harveit had, both 
in quantity and quality, furpafled their hopes, and was 
not inferior to the finelt harvefts in Rufiia : fwo pounds 
of corn had produced ten. 
“ Arrived at Milkoff, I was aftonifhed no longer to fee 
either Kamtfchadales or Cofacs, but an interelting colo¬ 
ny of peafants whofe features and addrefs told me they 
were not a mixed breed. This colony was felecled in 
1743, partly in Rufiia and partly in Siberia, among the pri¬ 
mitive inhabitants, that is, among the hu(bandmen. The 
view of adminiftration, in fending them into this coun¬ 
try, was, that they might clear the land and make expe¬ 
riments in agriculture ; hoping that their example and 
fuccefs would inftruCl and encourage the indigenes, and 
induce them to employ their labours in this advantageous 
and neceflary art. Unfortunately their extreme indo¬ 
lence, which I have already deferibed, little correfponded 
with the wife intentions of government; and fo far are 
they from pretending to any rivalfhip, that they have ne¬ 
ver derived the fmallefl advantage from the examples that 
are before their eyes. This extreme fluggi!hne(s of the 
natives is the more painful to an obferver, as he cannot 
but admire the induftry of thefe aCtive emigrants, whofe 
labours have been attended with fuch beneficial effeCls. 
Their habitations, fituated upon the Kamtfchatka, feem 
to fhow that they live at their eafe. Their cattle thrive 
well from the great care they take of them. I obferved 
alfo that thefe peafants had in general very much the air 
of being contented with their (ituation. Their labour is 
profitable, and not exceffive. Every man ploughs and fows 
his field ; and, having only his capitation to pay, he reaps 
abundantly the fruit of his exertions, which a fertile foil 
repays him with ulury. I am convinced that greater ad¬ 
vantages might be derived from this fource, if the culti¬ 
vators were more numerous. The liarvefl confifls chiefly 
of rye,, and a very finall quantity of barley. This colony 
has nothing to do with the chace. Government extend¬ 
ed its cares fo far as to prohibit it, that their labours might 
be wholly devoted to agriculture, and that nothing might 
divert their attention. The prohibition however, I could 
perceive, was not very fcrupuloufiy obferved. Their chief 
is a flarojlc, appointed by adminiftration, and felelted from 
the old men of the village, as the name implies. His bu- 
finefs is to infpeft the progrefs of agriculture ; to prefide 
over their feed-time and their harveft, to fix the precife 
period when they are to take place; in Ihort, to flimulate 
the negligence, or encourage the zeal, of the labourers, 
and particularly to maintain the fpirit of the eftablifhment, 
and a good underfeanding among them.” 
Many traces of volcanoes have been obferved in this 
peninfula; and there are fome mountains which are in a 
burning Hate at prefent. The moll confiderable of thefe 
is fituated near the middle of the peninfula. In 1762, a 
great noife was heard ifiuing from the infide of that 
mountain, and flames of fire were feen to burft from dif¬ 
ferent parts. Thefe flames were immediately lucceeded 
by a large flream of melted fhow water, which flowed 
into the neighbouring valley, and drowned two natives 
who were there on a hunting-party. The afhes and burn¬ 
ing matters thrown from the mountain were fpread over 
a furface of 150 miles. In 1767 was another difeharge, 
but lefs confiderable ; fince that year no flames have been 
feen ; but the mountain emits a conflant fmoke. An 
earthquake happened here about twenty years ago, of 
which the following is a defcription by an eye-witnefs, 
