A VOYAGE TO 
i 779 . fidered as an extraordinary piece of finery ; and they have 
a fuperftitious opinion, that the angels are clad with the 
ikins of thofe animals. It is faid, that this creature is eafily 
tamed, and taught a number of pleafant tricks *. 
Having already had occafion to fpeak, as fully as my own 
knowledge enables me, of the bears, and the method of 
killing them, I Ihall only here obferve, that all thofe I faw 
were of a dun brown colour ; that they are generally feen 
in companies of four or five together; that the time they 
are molt abroad is during the feafon that the fifh (which 
is their principal food) are pufhing up from the fea into 
the rivers, and that they are feldom vifible in the winter 
months t. 
Their fkins are exceedingly ufeful. They make both 
excellent warm matrafles, and coverings for their beds; 
comfortable bonnets and gloves, and good collars for the 
dogs harnefs. Their flelh, and particularly the fat, is con- 
fidered as great delicacies. 
The wolves are only feen in the winter; at which fea¬ 
fon they prowl about, as I was told, in large companies, in 
fearch of prey. 
There are rein-deer, both wild and tame, in feveral parts 
of the peninfula, but none in the neighbourhood of Awat- 
Ika. It is fomewhat lingular, that this nation Ihould never 
* KrafcheninikofF relates, that this fmall animal frequently deftroys deer, and the wild 
mountain-fheep, in the following way: they fcatter at the bottom of trees bark and mofs, 
which thofe animals are fond of; and whilft they are picking it up, drop fuddenly upon 
them, and fattening behind the head, fuck out their eyes. 
f The Koriacks make ufe of a very fimple method of catching bears. They fufpend, 
between the forks of a tree, a running noofe, within which they fatten a bait, which the 
animal, endeavouring to pull away, is caught fometimes by the neck, and fometimes by 
the paw. 
IO 
have 
