346 
A VOYAGE TO 
1 779 ' from the numerous prefents we received from the T oion of 
— St. Peter and St. Paul; and which fometimes confiifed of 
twenty brace. 
We met with no amphibious fea-animals on the coaft, 
except feals, with which the bay of Awatfka fwarmed ; as 
they were, at this time, in purfuit of the falmon that were 
collecting in fhoals, and ready to afcend the rivers. Some 
of them are faid to purfue the filh into the freffi water, 
and to be found in moll of the lakes which communicate 
with the fea. 
The fea-otters * are exactly the fame with thofe we met 
with at Nootka Sound, which have been already fully de- 
fcribed, and where they are in great plenty. They are alfo 
faid to have been formerly in equal abundance here ; but, 
lince the Ruffians have opened a trade for their fkins to 
China, where they are fold at a price much beyond that of 
any other kind of fur, they have been hunted almoft en¬ 
tirely out of the country. Amongfl the Kurile iflands they 
are ftill caught, though in no great numbers ; but are of a 
fuperior quality to thofe of Kamtfchatka, or the American 
coalf. 
We are informed, that, on Mednoi and Beering’s Illand, 
fcarce a fea-otter is now to be found; though it appears 
from Muller +, that, in his time, they were exceedingly 
plentiful. 
The Ruffian voyagers make mention of a great variety 
of amphibious fea-animals, which are faid to frequent 
thefe coafts: the reafon why we faw no other kinds might 
be, that this was the feafon of their migration. 
Not having it in my power to treat thefe articles more 
fully, I conclude them with the lefs regret, fince the inge- 
* Mujiela lutris, t Englifh tranflation, p. 59. 
mous 
