SARYTSCHEW’S TEAVELS, 
70 
and herbs. On the low spots are grown various sorts of plants, 
among which is the epilobium angustifolium, the branches 
which are numerous, and shoot annually from the parent root 
on stems above three feet high, with long narrow unequal 
leaves, the dower consisting of four small roundish patent Ian- 
ceolated petals, with eight pedicles, the fruit consisting of a 
very long capsule of a cylindrical form, with four valves. The 
seeds are numerous and oblong It grows in marshy places in 
the 'north of Europe. We also found the arbutus uva ursi, a 
creeping evergreen of inconsiderable size, the leaves of which are 
tough, thick, not juicy, and rounded with the corners bent in¬ 
ward. Between these, campanuiated dowers of a pink colour 
shoot forth, and are succeeded by tasteless round mealy berries. 
It grows in the fir-woods of the temperate parts of Russia, 
and is used in tanning fine skins. The leaves are esteemed a 
powerful diuretic, and the berries yield ^ serviceable dye. 
I likewise met with raspberries of an amazing size, whi.ch, 
however, were watery and less inferior in flavour to those of 
Europe. Among the edible roots are the Macarscha ancf 
Sarana, as also a sort of yellow carrot, which the inhabit¬ 
ants maintain has so great a power of strengthening the sight, 
that, if they eat largely of it at night, they can on the following 
morning discern the smallest object at an incredible distance; 
for which reason they generally eat of it previous to going on 
the chace. 
This island abounds with black, dark-brown, and light-grey 
foxes, but there are but few red ones. The Russian hunters 
catch them with traps; but in this open country they are by no 
means so good as those caught in the woody parts of Siberia; 
on w hich account they are much cheaper than the Siberian. Yet 
with all this disadvantage, the Russian merchants derive a con¬ 
siderable profit from this trade. 
Besides the foxes there are no quadrupeds, except short-tailed 
mice, which burrow in the earth, where they find roots for 
their sustenance, and reside w inter and summer ; but they lay 
up no store for the former season. 
Among the birds are eagles, with white heads and tails, 
hawks, woodcocks, and many kinds of small birds, some of 
which sing very well. Sea-fowls of different kinds are also nu¬ 
merous, as urilas, owls, &c. which frequent the ledges of the 
rocks, and are caught in their nests by the inhabitants, who con¬ 
vert their skins into garments as before described. The urilas are 
about the size of a wild goose, have long necks, sharp beaks, 
and black feathers, with a beautiful green ring round their necks. 
The breasts and necks of the males are frequently variegated 
by a mixture of w hite feathers. Their legs are so near the tail^ 
