4 
SARYTSCHEyv’s travels. 
wild, are very rare, and those who possess will not part with 
their little stock at any rate. 
Though the wind was constantly favourable, yet the incessant 
mist impeded our progress for many days. We met with 
nothing remarkable till the 23d, when we discovered land, which 
proved, on our approach, to be Amtschitka, or one of the Rat 
Islands. From what we could distinguish through the mist, its 
shores appeared to be naked and not very elevated, but some¬ 
times mountainous. At no great distance from thence we descried 
the island properly called the Rat Island, which derives its name 
from the circumstances of its abounding with rats. As there 
were formerly none of these animals here, it is surmised that they 
made their escape to the shore out of some Japan vessel, 
stranded on the coats. The eastern side of Amtschitka is more 
mountainous than the western, forming a rocky declivity from 
south-west to north-west. On a cursory view we estimated its 
length at 30 Italian miles. 
On the 25th, the wind became so strong that we were 
obliged to carry less sail. Towards evening we stood to the 
north, and on the following day to the north-west; and, 
although still enveloped in mist, we could distinguish the high 
snowy mountains on the islands Adach and Jagitka. 
On the 28th, the wind and mist abating, we perceived the 
island Amilja, and the lofty mountains Atcha contiguous to it 
to the west, both belonging to the Andiejenow Islands. We 
conceived our latitude to this time to be 41° 54', and our 
longitude 187° 07 ; the western point of Amilja being north¬ 
west 52° 30' at a distance of 15 miles. We sailed the whole 
day in a parallel line with the island about 8 miles distant. It 
Is naked, mountainous, long, and marrow; being from west 
to east 44 miles in extent. Its eastern extremity is bounded 
by high and steep rocks. Its centre contains a number of 
hills. Its population does not exceed 00 persons. 
In the evening we came in sight of the mountainous island of 
Seguam, about 24 miles in extent, lying 22 miles north-east 
by east of Amilja. It is uninhabited, and is said formerly 
to have had a volcanic mountain. 
On the morning of the 29th we passed the island Amuchta 
at a distance of 0 miles. It is about 27 miles in extent, and 
is said to have a volcano. About 12 miles from Amuchta 
we passed Techugagar, an island 12 miles long and 5 miles 
broad. 
On the 30th, we fell in with the four volcanic islands, which 
take their names from the four craters which they contain. 
They lie contiguous to each other, and bear distinct names. 
