SARYTSCHEW’S TRAVELS, 
6 % 
and summer, and the trees were entirely stript of their leaves; 
hut there were some cedar or birch shrubs still remaining in the 
hollow windings of the mountains, that afforded us many agree¬ 
able walks, until the snow fell so heavily as to block up our 
passage. We had now only one narrow path in the declivity to¬ 
wards the Koschka, and another between the mountains towards 
a lake situated 30Q furlongs to the north of our dwelling-place. 
Near this latter path, on the right hand bank of a rivalut running 
into the haven, lie two remarkable persons, close to each other, 
namely, the Professor de Piste de la Crovere, who accompanied 
Commodore Behring, as astronomer, and Captain Clarke, who 
succeeded Captain Cook in the command. From the lake just 
noticed, you may, at low water, walk round the mountainous pe¬ 
ninsula which encloses the haven on the western side, and the 
extent of the town will not exceed two versts; but this path is 
very stony and fatiguing, it is therefore little frequented, except 
by sportsmen, who go in search of mews, or sawkas, (Anas 
Memalis ), a species of ducks. 
By some beds* of rock in this peninsula, we discovered green 
jasper marl, on which were the representations of shrubs or 
trees; we also found, in the crevices of the rocks, some layers 
of amaranth, not very large, and remarkably thin. 
For some time after our arrival, there was no fresh fish to be 
had. In the beginning of November, we began to catch wach- 
nas its abundance, and occasionally herrings. The wachna, (Ga - 
dm eBglesinus) \ is a sort of stock-fish, about half a yard in 
length, with a roundish body, and three dorsal fins. When taken 
out of the water, it is perfectly of a copper colour, but soon turns 
quite pale. Its flesh is white, but soft, and not pleasant to the 
taste. The roe is, however, of a fine texture, and has the best 
flavour. It is an inhabitant of the European Ocean, but most 
frequently found in Kamtschatka. We w'ere now enabled to 
provide ourselves with fresh and healthy food, but on the failure 
of this resource, we should have been compelled to live on salt 
provisions alone, if w^e bad not persuaded a Kosak to sell us a 
cow 7 for 6.5 rubles: the animal w'as not very large, and yielded 
but an inconsiderable quantity of meat, yet we contrived to eke 
it out as long as possible. The whole haven of Petropaulowsk, 
could not produce more than this cow 7 and seven oxen, belong¬ 
ing to the crow n, which had been driven hither from the fortress 
of Werchne-K amtschatk for the expedition that was to have 
gone out, under the command of Captain Molowsky. But it 
was prevented by the breaking out of the Swedish war, in which 
this estimable officer fell, and if 1 mistake not, in the first en¬ 
gagement under Admiral Greig, in 1788; otherwise the Rus¬ 
sian flag would probably have waved J4 or 15 years earlier under 
