76 
SARYTSCIIEW S TRAVELS, 
people, except the Kenaizas, Kenagas, and Schugatschas, have 
the same customs, dress, and even language, with a few varia^ 
tions in some words, and in the pronunciation, which does not, 
however, prevent them from understanding each other. 
On the islands, where the Russian merchant-ships anchor, as 
on Unalaschka, Umnak, and the Andrejenow Islands, the people 
are more civilized. Some of them speak good Russian, and 
many are baptized in the Christian Faith. But in the other 
islands, they are as rude and savage as ever. They acknow¬ 
ledge a*God indeed, as the almighty and universally beneficent 
Being, but regard all worship, sacrifice, and prayer as super¬ 
fluous, from the idea that God knows better than they, what 
is good for them, and will grant it without their request. 
They consider misfortunes and diseases as the effects of wicked 
spirits, and on such occasions have recourse to their Shamans, 
who assume no particular garb, nor use any extravagant gestures 
in their exorcisms, but calmly sing with the other Aleutians, 
sitting in one posture, and sometimes beating on a drum. Their 
drums are not large, being the same as those used for every other 
song and dance. The Aleutians take one, two, or even three 
wives, as they are in a capacity of supporting them. They 
have no nuptial ceremonies. The bridegroom commonly treats 
with the parents for the bride, and promises what he thinks he 
can afford, either in cloaths, baidars, or what are termed Kalga, 
which is prisoners made in the other islands, or destitute or¬ 
phans, who are consigned over to a rich Aleutian, to labour 
for their bare sustenance, and may be transferred to another 
on the same conditions. If the parties are agreed, the bride¬ 
groom begins to visit his bride, and frequently spends whole 
days with her, in the character of a lover. If they have any 
regard for each other, the bridegroom either takes her to his 
house, or repairs for a constancy to her dwelling. If they live 
in harmony, the father now on his part makes presents to the 
s.on-indaw ; if, however, the husband be not satisfied with his 
wife, he can send her away, but has no right to demand bis 
own presents back; on the other hand, if the woman will not 
live with him, he is at liberty to take from his father-in-law 
all that he had given for her. 
No man is allowed to sell his wife without her consent; but he 
can resign her over to another, either for a term of years, or for 
$ continuance, which is not unfrequent. The Russian hunters, 
in particular, make use of this privilege, and take Aleutian women 
or girls for a time, for which they give a trifling compensation. 
But it never happens that a woman grants her favours to ano¬ 
ther without the consent of her husband; for in this barter of 
