60 
sarytschew’s travels. 
view is to be found in Cook’s voyage, which differs from mine 
only from the slight difference of position. 
At the entrance of the bay of Awatska, we passed a light¬ 
house, erected on a lofty rocky prominence, on the left of which 
was an insular mountain of stone, called Staritschkow, after the 
name of a bird that frequents it in great abundance. The 
staritschkow is a bird about the size of a pigeon, with a 
bluish bill, and small feathers, of a bristly kind; its head is 
of a purple colour, having a circle of white feathers in the 
middle, which are thinner and longer than the rest. Its neck is 
black above, with white spots underneath. Its body is white, the 
short large feathers of its wings blackish, and the rest blue ; its 
sides and tail black; its feet red, and trebly indigited with a 
web between each, and its claws black. On the little islands of 
Kamischatka they are found in vast numbers, and are caught by 
the Kauitschadales with great facility. Besides this bird, there 
are also sea-parrots, mews, and urilas, the latter of which paid 
us a visit of curiosity as before, and then disappeared. 
The entrance of the bay by the light-house, has 13 fathoms 
water, and a sandy bottom. The banks on both sides are peak¬ 
ed and stony, having occasionally windings, in and out. Not far 
beyond the light-house, stand three lofty isolated rocks in the 
form of pillars, close by each other; on which account they 
are denominated the Three Ribbons. Very near these pillars is a 
little creek called the Saline , from the salt-works which exist on 
its banks. On one side of the creek, lies a little stony island, 
called the Traitor's Island , from its having been the place of con¬ 
cealment for the ringleaders of the Kamtschadale insurrection 
against the Russians. On the other siie is a lofty rock, called 
the Grandmother’s Rock . 
The entrance into the bay extends two leagues beyond these, 
and terminates with the commencement of the bay itself, which 
is 26 leagues in extent, and loses itself in three creeks, running 
parallel with each other: one of which is called Tarjinskoi, the 
second Rakowoi, and the third forms the harbour of Petropau- 
lowsk, which was the object of our destination. It lies more 
to the north of the entrance, in the middle of which is a sand¬ 
bank, where the depth of the water is scarcely 1§ fathom. The 
creek itself is from six to fifteen fathoms deep, and affords a 
good anchorage every where in its muddy bottom. The shore 
and surrounding country are mountainous, except towards the 
north-west, where there are some plains and low-lands. From 
this side also, flow the rivers Aw^atska and Paratuoka, into the 
creek. 
Towards evening w 7 e came to anchor near the harbour of Pe- 
tropaulowsk, which is above a verst in circumference. On the 
