THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
307 
1779- 
September. 
pofe. He then begins to pufh down, with his paws, pieces 
of the rock amongft the herd below. This manoeuvre is 
not followed by any attempt to purfue, until he find he has 
maimed one of the flock, upon which a courfe immediately 
enfues, that proves fuccefsful, or otherwife, according to the 
hurt the barein has received. 
I cannot conclude this digrelfion, without observing, that 
the Kamtfchadales very thankfully acknowledge their obli¬ 
gations to the bears for what little advancement they have 
hitherto made, either in the fciences or polite arts. They 
confefs that they owe to them all their fkill both in phylic 
and furgery ; that by remarking with what herbs thefe ani¬ 
mals rub the wounds they have received, and what they 
have recourfe to when fick and languid, they have become 
acquainted with moft of the limples in ufe among them, 
either in the way of internal medicine, or external applica¬ 
tion. But what will appear fomewhat more lingular, is, 
they acknowledge the bears likewife for their dancing- 
mafters. Indeed, the evidence of one’s fenfes puts this out 
of difpute; for the bear-dance of the Kamtfchadales is an 
exadt counterpart of every attitude and gefture peculiar to 
this animal, through its various functions; and this is the 
foundation and ground-work of all their other dances, and 
what they value themfelves moft upon. 
I returned to the fhips on the 28th, very well pleafed with Tuefday zti 
my excurfion, as it had afforded me an opportunity of fee¬ 
ing a little more of the country, and of obferving the man¬ 
ners and behaviour of the Kamtfchadales, when freed from 
that conftraint, which they evidently lie under in the com¬ 
pany of the Ruffians. 
No occurrence worth mentioning took place till the 30th, Thurfday 30a 
when Captain Gore went to Paratounca, to put up in the 
R r 2 church 
