Nor is the sagacity of the bears, if the Kamtschadales are to be credited, less extraordinary, or less worthy to be remarked, than their natural affection. Of this they have a thousand stories to relate. I shall content myself with mentioning one instance, which the natives speak of as a well- known fact, and that is, the stratagem they have recourse to in order to catch the bareins, which are considerably too swift of foot for them. These animals keep together in large herds; they frequent mostly the low grounds, and love to browse at the feet of rocks and precipices. The bear hunts them by scent, till he come in sight, when he advances warily, keeping above them, and concealing himself amongst the rocks, as he makes his approaches, till he gets immediately over them, and nigh enough for his purpose. He then begins to push down with his paws pieces of the rock amongst the herd below. This manoeuvre is not followed by any attempt to pursue, until he find he has maimed one of the flock, upon which a course immediately ensues, that proves successful, or otherwise, according to the hurt the barein has received.[39]
[39] The reader will probably not dislike to see another instance of the bear's cunning, in the mode of catching a peculiar sort of fish called kachly, which abounds in Kamtschatka, and of which he is exceedingly fond. We are told by Krusenstern, that as soon as this animal perceives the shoals of kachly going up the river, he places himself in the water, within a short distance of the bank, and in such a position of his legs, as that the fish, which always goes straight forward, may have just space enough to pass between them. He then watches his opportunity, when a good many have entered the snare, to press his legs together, so as to inclose his prey, with which, at one spring, he jumps on shore, where he devours them at his leisure. This practice is much to be commended for the spirit of independence it indicates; but not so another one, which some authors have charged against these sagacious animals, viz. dragging the fishermen's nets out of the water, during their absence, and then robbing them of the fish they contained. Mr Bingley's Animal Biography, where this piece of pilfering is mentioned, may be advantageously consulted for several amusing notices respecting the habits and capabilities of this creature, which are quite in unison with Captain King's account.--E.
I cannot conclude this digression, without observing, that the Kamtschadales very thankfully acknowledge their obligations to the bears for what little advancement they have hitherto made either in the sciences or polite arts. They confess that they owe to them all their skill both to physic and surgery; that, by remarking with what herbs these animals rub the wounds they have received, and what they have recourse to when sick and languid, they have become acquainted with most of the simples in use among them, either in the way of internal medicine, or external application. But, what will appear somewhat more singular, is, they acknowledge the bears likewise for their dancing-masters. Indeed, the evidence of one's senses puts this out of dispute; for the bear-dance of the Kamtschadales is an exact counterpart of every attitude and gesture peculiar to this animal, through its various functions; and this is the foundation and groundwork of all their other dances, and what they value themselves most upon.
I returned to the ships on the 28th, very well pleased with my excursion, as it had afforded me an opportunity of seeing a little more of the country, and of observing the manners and behaviour of the Kamtschadales, when freed from that constraint which they evidently lie under in the company of the Russians.
No occurrence worth mentioning took place till the 30th, when Captain Gore went to Paratounca, to put up in the church there an escutcheon, prepared by Mr Webber, with an inscription upon it, setting forth Captain Clerke's age and rank, and the object of the expedition in which he was engaged at the time of his decease. We also affixed to the tree under which he was buried, a board, with an inscription upon it to the same effect.[40]
[40] The interest of the following passage, from the account of Krusenstern's voyage, will form the only apology necessary for the largeness of the space it occupies. "As it was evident, upon our arrival, that the many things necessary to be done on board, would occupy a space of not less than four or five weeks, the officers of the ship had formed a plan of renewing the monument which had been erected to Captain Clerke. From Cook's and La Perouse's voyage, it is well known that Clerke was buried in the town of Saint Peter and St Saint Paul, under a large tree, to which a board, with an inscription, was affixed, mentioning his death, his age and rank, and the object of the expedition, in which he lost his life. We found the escutcheon, painted by Webber, the draughtsman of the Resolution, and suspended by Captain King in the church at Paratunka, in the portico of Major Krupskoy's house, nor did any one appear to know what connection it had with this painted board; and as there has been no church for many years either in Paratunka or Saint Peter and Saint Paul, it was very fortunate that the escutcheon was not entirely lost. La Perouse, finding the board on the tree rotting very fast, had the inscription copied on a plate of copper, adding, that it had been restored by him; and as this inscription is not given in Cook's voyage, and every thing relative to him and his companion must be interesting to all, I cannot avoid transcribing it here from La Perouse's copy.
"At The Root Of This Tree Lies The Body Of
* * * * *
Captain Charles Clerke,
Who Succeeded To The Command Of His Britannic
Majesty's Ships, The Resolution And
Discovery, On The Death Of Captain James Cook, Who
Was Unfortunately Killed By The Natives
At An Island In The South Sea
On The 14TH Of February In The Year 1779,
And Died At Sea Of A Lingering Consumption The
22ND August In The Same Year, Aged 38."Copié sur l'inscription Angloise par ordre de M^r le C^{te} de la Perouse chef d'Escadre, en 1787.
"This plate La Perouse caused to be nailed on the wooden monument. We found it there, although it had more than once been removed. The monument itself, however, appeared to promise but short duration; for the tree, which was more than half decayed, could not stand above a few years longer, and it was become necessary to raise a more durable one to Cook's companion. We also found the coffin, containing the remains of De Lisle de la Croyère, as we were digging up the ground, a few paces from Clerke's tomb, after having long sought for it in vain. La Perouse had erected a monument to him also; and, upon a copper- plate, had engraved an inscription, containing a few of the particulars of his life. Of this there was not the least vestige remaining, though no longer space than eighteen years had since elapsed. The memento of these two persons, equally skilled in the science of navigation, and who had both lost their lives in one of the most inhospitable quarters of the globe, could now be united in one monument; and, for this purpose, a durable pedestal of wood was erected as near as possible to the old tree, in order still to preserve the locality; and over this a pyramid; on one side of which, the plate, which La Perouse had engraved, was fastened; and on the opposite side, a copy of Captain Clerke's escutcheon, made for the occasion by M. Tilesius. On the other two sides were the following inscriptions, in Russian: 'In the first voyage round the world, undertaken by the Russians, under the command of Captain Krusenstern, the officers of the ship Nadeshda erected this monument to the memory of the English captain, Clerke, on the 15th September 1805.'
"And on the side facing the south: 'Here rest the ashes of De Lisle de la Croyère, the astronomer attached to the expedition commanded by Commodore Behring, in the year 1741.'
"This monument was constructed under the direction of Lieutenant Ratmanoff; and his anxiety to complete it previous to our departure, made him overcome every difficulty in the way of such an undertaking in Kamtschatka. It would have been an injustice in me not to have supported and contributed by all the means in my power to its completion; and as I gave them not only workmen, but also such materials as we had on board the ship, we had the satisfaction of seeing it entirely completed previous to our departure. A deep ditch surrounded the whole; and, in order to screen it against any accidental injury, it was inclosed in a high paling, the door of which was to be kept constantly locked, and the key to remain in the hands of the governor of Saint Peter and Saint Paul."
Every heart that is capable of humane emotions will respect this labour infinitely beyond either the magnitude or the importance of its effects, and will gladly applaud the virtuous sentiment that prompts generous minds, in defiance of the narrow and perishable distinction of name and nation, to reverence the kindred excellence and the common lot of their fellow creatures.--E.
Before his departure, Captain Gore left orders with me to get the ships out of the harbour into the bay, to be in readiness to sail. We were prevented from doing this by a violent gale of wind, which lasted the whole day of the 1st of October. However, on the 2d, both ships warped out of the harbour, clear of the narrow passage, and came to anchor in seven fathoms, a quarter of a mile from the ostrog.
The day before we went out of the harbour the cattle arrived from Verchnei; and, that the men might receive the full benefit of this capital and much- longed-for supply, by consuming it fresh, Captain Gore came to a determination of staying five or six days longer. Nor was this time idly employed. The boats, pumps, sails, and rigging of both ships, thereby received an additional repair. And Captain Gore sparing me some molasses, and the use of the Resolution's copper, I was enabled to brew a fortnight's beer for the crew, and to make a farther provision of ten puncheons of strong spruce essence. The present supply was the more acceptable, as our last cask of spirits, except a small quantity left in reserve for cases of necessity, was now serving out.
The 3d was the name-day of the Empress, and we could want no inducement to shew it every possible respect. Accordingly, Captain Gore invited the priest of Paratounca, Ivaskin, and the serjeant, to dinner; and an entertainment was also provided for the inferior officers of the garrison; for the two Toions of Paratounca and Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and for the other better sort of Kamtschadale inhabitants. The rest of the natives, of every description, were invited to partake with the ships' companies, who had a pound of good fat beef served out to each man; and what remained of our spirits was made into grog, and divided amongst them. A salute of twenty-one guns was fired at the usual hour; and the whole was conducted (considering the part of her dominion it was in) in a manner not unworthy so renowned and magnificent an empress.
On the 5th, we received from Bolcheretsk a fresh supply of tea, sugar, and tobacco. This present had met Captain Shmaleff on his return, and was accompanied by a letter from him, in which he informed us, that the sloop from Okotzk had arrived during his absence; and that Madame Shmaleff, who was entirely in our interests, had lost no time in dispatching a courier with the few presents, of which our acceptance was requested.