CHAP. IX.

Of the Checks to Population in Siberia, Northern and Southern.

THE inhabitants of the most northern parts of Afia fubfift chiefly by hunting and fishing; and we may suppose, therefore, that the checks to their increase are of the fame nature as those which prevail among the American Indians; except that the check from war is confiderably less, and the check from famine perhaps greater than in the temperate regions of America. M. de Leffeps, who travelled from Kamtfchatka to Petersburg with the papers of the unfortunate Péroufe, draws a melancholy picture of the mifery that is fometimes fuffered in this part of the world from a fcarcity of food. He obferves, while at Bolcheretsk, a village of Kamtschatka,

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very heavy rains are injurious in this country, "because they occafion floods, which drive the *fish from the rivers. A famine, the most dif"treffing to the poor Kamtfchadales, is the re

sult, as it happened last year in all the villages along the western coaft of the peninfula. "This dreadful calamity occurs fo frequently in this quarter, that the inhabitants are obliged to abandon their dwellings, and repair

0 2

"with

"with their families to the borders of the Kamt"schatka river, where they hope to find better "resources, fish being more plentiful in this "river. Mr. Kafloff (the Ruffian officer who "conducted Mr. de Leffeps) had intended to "proceed along the western coaft; but the "news of this famine determined him contrary "to his wishes to return, rather than be driven "to the neceffity of ftopping half way, or perishing with hunger." Though a different route was purfued, yet in the courfe of the journey almost all the dogs which drew the fledges died for want of food; and every dog, as foon as he failed, was immediately devoured by the others."

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Even at Okotsk, a town of confiderable trade, the inhabitants wait with hungry impatience for the breaking up of the river Okhota in the fpring. When M. de Leffeps was there, the stock of dried fish was nearly exhaufted. Meal was fo dear that the common people were unable to purchase it. On drawing the feine prodigious numbers of small fish were caught, and the joy and clamour redoubled at the fight. The most famished were first ferved. M. de Leffeps feelingly fays, "I could not refrain from

a Travels in Kamtfchatka, vol. i. p. 147. 8vo. Eng. trans. 1790. Id. p. 264.

"tears

"tears on perceiving the ravenousness of these

poor creatures;****whole families contended "for the fish, which were devoured raw before

66 my eyes."

Throughout all the northern parts of Siberia, the small-pox is very fatal. In Kamtschatka, according to M. de Leffeps, it has carried off three fourths of the native inhabitants.

Pallas confirms this account; and, in defcribing the Oftiacks on the Obi, who live nearly in the fame manner, obferves, that this diforder makes dreadful ravages among them, and may be confidered as the principal check to their increafe. The extraordiuary mortality of the fmall-pox among these people is very naturally accounted for by the extreme heat, filth, and putrid air, of their underground habitations. Three or four Oftiack families are crowded together in one yourt, and nothing can be fo difgufting as their mode of living. They never wash their hands, and the putrid remains of the fish, and the excrements of the children, are never cleared away. From this description, fays Pallas, one may easily form an idea of the stench, the foetid vapours, and humidity of their yourts.

Travels in Kamtfchatka, vol. ii. p. 252, 253.

They have seldom many children. It is a rare thing to fee three or four in one family. The reafon which Pallas gives is, that fo many die young on account of their bad nourishment." To this, perhaps, fhould be added the state of miferable and laborious fervitude to which the women are condemned, which certainly prevents them from being prolific.

The Samoyedes, Pallas thinks, are not quite fo dirty as the Oftiacks, because they are more in motion during the winter in hunting; but he defcribes the ftate of the women amongst them as a ftill more wretched and laborious fervitude; and confequently the check to population from this caufe would be greater.

Moft of the natives of thefe inhospitable regions live nearly in the fame miferable manner, which it would be therefore mere repetition to defcribe. From what has been faid, we may form an idea of the principal checks that keep the actual population down to the level of the fcanty means of fubfiftence which these dreary countries afford.

In fome of the fouthern parts of Siberia, and in the districts adjoining the Wolga, the Ruffian travellers defcribe the foil to be of extraordinary fertility. It confifts in general of a fine black

• Id. p. 72.

Id. p. 60

Id. p. 92. mould

mould of fo rich a nature as not to require or even to bear dreffing. Manure only makes the corn grow too luxuriantly, and subjects it to fall to the ground and be fpoiled. The only mode of recruiting this kind of land which is practifed is, by leaving it one year out of three there are

in fallow; and proceeding in this way, some grounds, the vigour of which is faid to be inexhaustible. Yet notwithstanding the facility with which, as it would appear, the most plentiful fubfiftence might be procured, many of these districts are thinly peopled, and in none of them, perhaps, docs population increase in the proportion that might be expected from the nature of the foil.

Such countries feem to be under that mo al impoffibility of increasing, which is well defcribed by Sir James Steuart. If either from the nature of government, or the habits of the people, obftacles exift to the fettlement of fresh farms or the fubdivifion of the old ones, a part of the fociety might fuffer want even in the midst of apparent plenty. It is not enough that a country fhould have the power of producing food in abundance, but the ftate of fociety must be such as to afford the means of its proper diftribution;