A VOYAGE TO 
218 
1779. treated by the people, who were in them, with the greateft 
kindnefs, and had entered into a league of friendfhip and 
amity with them; and that, relying on this friendly dif- 
pofition, they were now come to the Ruffian fort, in order 
to fettle a treaty, on fuch terms as might be acceptable to 
both nations. This extraordinary hiftory had occafioned 
much fpeculation, both at Ingiginfk and Bolcheretfk; and, 
had we not furnifhed them with a key to it, mull have re*- 
mained perfectly unintelligible. We felt no fmall fatisfac- 
tion in having, though accidentally, ffiewmthe Ruffians, in 
this inftance, the only true way of collecting tribute, and 
extending their dominions ; and in the hopes that the good 
underftanding, which this event hath given rife to, may ref- 
cue a brave people from the future invafions of fuch pow¬ 
erful neighbours. 
We dined, this day, with Captain Shmaleff; and in the 
afternoon, in order to vary our amufements, he treated us 
with an exhibition of the Ruffian and Kamtfchadale dan¬ 
cing. No defcription can convey an adequate idea of this 
rude and uncouth entertainment. The figure of the Ruf¬ 
fian dance was much like thofe of our hornpipes, and was 
danced either fingle, or by two or four perfons at a time. 
Their Reps were ffiort and quick, with the feet fcarce 
raifed from the ground; the arms were fixed clofe to the 
fides; the body being all the while kept upright and im¬ 
moveable, excepting when the parties paffed each other, at 
which time the hand was raifed with a quick and awkward 
motion. But if the Ruffian dance was at the fame time 
both unmeaning and ridiculous, the Kamtfchadale joined 
to the latter quality the moft whimfical idea that ever en¬ 
tered into any people’s heads. It is intended to reprefent 
the awkward and clumfy geftures of the bear, which thefe 
1 people 
