SARYT*CHEW’S TRAVELS. 
whose share the first^ea-»lion falls, distributes his portion of flesh 
among all the Aleutians of his place; but they are obliged to re¬ 
turn him all the bones, which being collected together, are thrown 
back into the sea. 
The commencement of the sea-lion-chace terminates the 
fishery, the weather being usually too cold, and the winds to & 
vehement. The favourite food of the Aleutine is the flesh of 
Sea-animals, which, when consumed, is supplied by shell-fish, 
roots, and sea-wort; some of them indeed, in summer, lay 
bye dry fish, roots, and fat, which is, however, generally in 
too small quantities to last any length of time. The sea, there¬ 
fore, remains, at all times, their grand resource ; one while sup¬ 
plying them with an abundance of fish or animals for their pur¬ 
suit, and another time casting on its shore many delicacies 
which require no labour to obtain. In this manner the in® 
habitants pass an easy life heedless of futurity. 
In the evening of the 5th, a strong wind rose from the west, 
which tore the cable of the Slawa Rossii, that was no sooner 
supplied by another than it was instantly torn again. The 
storm lasted three days and nights, and burst forth from the 
clefts of the mountains with such impetuosity, that the boats 
and empty casks, lying on the shore, were rolled down into 
the sea. 
Hitherto we had procured fuel from the willows that grew 
on the shore of a brook that ran into the bay of Natykinsk; 
but in consequence of a heavy fall of snow, and the brook 
being frozen, we could not float any more willows down the 
stream, but we found others at the farther extremity of another 
brook near the village of Illuluk, whither we sent our men after it 
on foot; an exercise that served as a very efficacious preventa¬ 
tive against the scurvy, which was beginning to make its 
appearance. 
The 19 th, being calm weather, the Aleutians went Ashing at 
our request, but caught only two »;hell-fish. 
On the 21st, we dispatched two of our hunters to shoot 
fowl. Three of them put themselves into a treble-seated 
baidar, with the view of crossing the strait; but were scarcely 
off from the shore when a sudden squall upset their un¬ 
steady bark, and dislodged its contents into the water. Two 
of the men saved themselves, but the third was drowned. 
The complaints of our people respecting the smallness of their 
allowance becoming too urgent, we were obliged to give them 
their ordinary-portion of peas, butter, and meat. 
At the close of December the scurvy had increased the 
number of our sick to twelve. We strove to afford them all 
possible assistance, by procuring fresh food, for which pur- 
