THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 215 
. lies on the North fide of the Bolchoireka (or great river), i 779 . 
between the mouth of the Gottfof ka and the Billraia, which , May * , 
W»V' 
here empty themfelves into this river; and the peninfula, 
on which it Hands, has been feparated from the continent 
by a large canal, the work of the prefent Commander; 
which has not only added much to its ftrength as a fortrefs, 
hut has made it much lefs liable; than it was before, to 
inundations. Below the town, the river is from fix to eight 
feet deep, and about a quarter of a mile broad. It empties 
itfelf into the fea of Okotfk, at the distance of twenty-two 
miles; where, according to Krafcheninikoff, it is capable of 
admitting veftels of a conliderable iize. There is no corn, 
of any fpecies, cultivated in this part of the country ; and 
Major Behm informed me, that his was the only garden 
that had yet been planted. The ground was, for the moft 
part, covered with fnow; that which was free from it ap¬ 
peared full of fmall hillocks, of a black turfy nature. I faw 
about twenty or thirty cows; and the Major had lix flout 
horfes. Thefe, and their dogs, are the only tame animals 
they poffefs; the neceflity they are under, in the prefent 
Hate of the country, of keeping great numbers of the latter, 
making it impoflible to bring up any cattle, that are not in 
fize and ftrength a match for them. For, during the fum- 
mer feafon, their dogs are entirely let loofe, and left to 
provide for themfelves; which makes them fo exceedingly 
ravenous, that they will fometimes even attack the bul¬ 
locks. 
The houfes in Bolcheretfk are all of one fafhion, being ' 
built of logs, and thatched. That of the Commander is 
much larger than the reft, confifting of three rooms of a 
confiderable fize, neatly papered, and which might have 
been reckoned handfome, if the talc with which the win- 
10 dows 
