A General Collection of Voyages and Travels, from the Discovery of America to the Commencement of the Nineteenth Century

keeping a sharp look-out for the fish, which always direct their course close in with the shore, and whose approach is announced by a rippling in the water, till they find that the shoal has advanced beyond the boat, when they shoot the canoe to shore in a direct line, and never fail of inclosing their prey. Seldom more than two men are employed to a net, who haul with facility, in this manner, seines larger than ours, to which we appoint a dozen. We at first met with very poor success in our own method of hauling'; but after the Kamtschadales had very kindly put us in the way, we were not less successful than themselves. In the rivers, they shoot one net across, and haul another down the stream to it.

The lakes that have a communication with the sea, which was the case of all those that I saw, abound with fish that have very much the resemblance of small salmon, and are from four to six pounds weight. I could not understand that the inhabitants thought it worth their while to fish for them. As these lakes are not deep, they become an easy prey to the bears and dogs during the summer; and, if I might judge from the quantity of bones to be seen upon the banks, they devour vast numbers of them.

The inhabitants for the most part dry their salmon, and salt very little of it. Each fish is cut into three pieces, the belly-piece being first taken off, and afterward a slice along each side the back bone. The former of these are dried and smoked, and esteemed the finest part of the fish, and sold, when we were at St. Peter and St. Paul's, at the rate of one hundred for a rouble, The latter are dried in the air, and either eaten whole as bread, or reduced to powder, of which they make paste and cakes that are not unpleasant to the taste. The head, tail, and bones are hung up, and dried for winter provision for the dogs.

List of Animals found in Kamtschatka, communi-
cated by Mr. PENNANT.*

** Argali, wild sheep, Arct.
Zool. Vol. I. p. 12.

Ibex, or wild goat...

Capra ammon, Lin. Syst.. 97.

...

16.

Capra ibex

90.

** Rein

22.

Cervus turandus

93.

The quadrupeds and birds mentioned in this part of th
voyage are marked in this list with a double asterisk.

Phoca vitulina..

Trichecus rosmarus...... 49.
56.

ibid. Phoca ursina

58.

There were no domestic animals in Kamtschatka, till they were introduced by the Russians. The dogs, which scem to be of wolfish descent, are aboriginal.