General Account of Kamtschatka.--Geographical Description.--Rivers.-- Soil.--Climate.--Volcanoes.--Hot Springs.--Productions.--Vegetables.-- Animals.--Birds.--Fish.[42]

[42] Some doubt may be entertained of the propriety with which Captain King has occupied so large a portion of his volume as two chapters, or sections, with a subject, respecting which it is most certain, his knowledge must have resulted from almost any thing else than his own personal observation. There is force in the objection. But it must be allowed on the other hand, that there was no inconsiderable inducement to supply the public with a tolerable share of information concerning a country which, distant and uncultivated as it was, seemed notwithstanding to be entitled to more regard than had usually been paid to it. Steller's work, of which he has properly availed himself, had been but recently published, viz. in 1774, and in all probability had not hitherto occupied much attention. The earlier accounts, whether published separately as that of Krascheninnikof, an English translation of which appeared at Gloucester in 1764, or contained in other works, as an article in Pallas's New Memoirs of the North, were perhaps still less consulted. Captain King's description, therefore, supposing the subject in any degree entitled to notice, was neither unnecessary nor unprofitable. It has been generally employed as the basis of the subsequent accounts which have been inserted in gazetteers and treatises of geography. But there have been several works, entitled to the consideration of being original, published since its appearance, from which some additions might be obtained, or which point out reasons for correction,--not so much however, it is proper to remark, because of errors committed by Captain K., as because of alterations occurred in the country since his time. A few of these, unfortunately not much for the better, have been stated, or will be so, on the authority of one of the last visitors to Kamtschatka, Captain Krusenstern. This gentleman, however, it ought to be understood, admits the general accuracy of the previous accounts given by Krascheninnikof, Steller, and King, and therefore, avoiding repetition, restricts himself almost entirely to the mention of the most material changes which have taken place during the last thirty years. This will readily be allowed enough for our present purpose, exclusive of any attention to the other productions which have treated of Kamtschatka, in the intermediate period.--E.

Kamtschatka is the name of a peninsula situated on the eastern coast of Asia, running nearly N. and S., from 52° to 6l° N. latitude; the longitude of its southern extremity being 156° 45' E. The isthmus, which joins it to the continent on the N., lies between the Gulf of Olutorsk and the Gulf of Penshinsk. Its southern extremity is Cape Lopatka, a word signifying the blade bone of a man, and is so called from its supposed resemblance to it. The shape of the whole peninsula is not unlike that of a shoe, widening from the toe (which we may suppose to be Cape Lopatka) toward the middle, and narrowing again toward the heel, the neck of land above mentioned connecting it with the continent. Its greatest breadth is from the mouth of the river Tigil to that of Kamtschatka, and is computed to be two hundred and thirty-six miles, from whence it narrows very gradually toward each extremity.

It is bounded on the N. by the country of the Koriacks; to the S. and E., by the North Pacific Ocean; and to the W., by the sea of Okotzk. A chain of high mountains stretches the whole length of the country, from N. to S., dividing it nearly into two equal parts, from whence a great number of rivers take their rise, and empty themselves, on each side, into the Pacific Ocean and the sea of Okotzk.

There are three rivers of much greater magnitude than the rest; the Bolchoireka, or great river, so called from bolchoia, which signifies great, and reka, a river; the river Kamtschatka, and the Awatska. The first empties itself into the sea of Okotzk, and is navigable for the Russian galliots upwards of five leagues from its mouth, or within nine miles of Bolcheretsk, a town situated at the conflux of the Goltsoffka and the Bistraia, which here lose themselves in the Bolchoireka. The Bistraia itself is no inconsiderable river. It derives its source from the same mountain with the river Kamtschatka, and, by taking a direct contrary course, affords the Kamtschadales the means of transporting their goods by water in small canoes, almost across the whole peninsula. The river Kamtschatka, after maintaining a course of near three hundred miles from S. to N.. winds round to the eastward; in which direction it empties itself into the ocean, a little to the southward of Kamtschatkoi Noss. Near the mouth of the Kamtschatka to the N.W., lies the great lake called Nerpitsch, from nerpi, a Kamtschadale word, signifying a seal, with which this lake abounds. About twenty miles up the river, reckoning from the mouth of the lake, is a fort called Nishnei Kamtschatka ostrog, where the Russians have built an hospital and barracks; and which, we were informed, is become the principal mart in this country.

The river Awatska rises from the mountains situated between the Bolchoireka and the Bistraia, and running, from N.W. to S.E., a course of one hundred miles, falls into the bay of Awatska. The Tigil is likewise a river of considerable size, rising amidst some very high mountains, which lie under the same parallel with Kamtschatkoi Noss, and running in an even course from S.E. to N.W., falls into the sea at Okotzk. All the other rivers of this peninsula, which are almost infinite in number, are too small to deserve a particular enumeration.

If I may judge of the soil, from what I saw of its vegetable productions, I should not hesitate in pronouncing it barren in the extreme. Neither in the neighbourhood of the bay, nor in the country I traversed on my journey to Bolcheretsk, nor in any of our hunting expeditions, did I ever meet with the smallest spot of ground that resembled what in England is called a good green turf; or that seemed as if it could be turned to any advantage, either in the way of pasturage, or other mode of cultivation. The face of the country in general was thinly covered with stunted trees, having a bottom of moss, mixed, with low weak heath. The whole bore a more striking resemblance to Newfoundland, than to any other part of the world I had ever seen.

It must however be observed, that I saw at Paratounca three or four stacks of sweet and very fine-looking hay; and Major Behm informed me, that many parts of the peninsula, particularly the banks of the river Kamtschatka and the Bistraia, produce grass of great height and strength, which they cut twice in the summer; and that the hay is of a succulent quality, and particularly well adapted to the fattening of cattle. Indeed it should appear, from the size and fatness of the thirty-six head that were sent down to us from the Verchnei ostrog, and which, we were told, were bred and fattened in the neighbourhood, that they must have had the advantage of both good pastures and meadows. For it is worth our notice, that the first supply we received, consisting of twenty, came to us just at the close of the winter, and before the snow was off the ground, and therefore probably had tasted nothing but hay for the seven preceding months. And this agrees with what is related by Krascheninnikoff, that there is no part of the country equal in fertility to that which borders on the river Kamtschatka; and that to the N. and S. it is much inferior both in point of soil and climate. He relates, that repeated experiments have been made in the culture of oats, barley, and rye, in different quarters near this river, which have generally succeeded; that, in particular, some persons belonging to the convent of Jakutzk, who had settled in that part of the country, had sown barley there, which had yielded an extraordinary increase; and he has no doubt but that wheat, in many parts, particularly near the source of the Bistraia and Kamtschatka, would grow as well as in the generality of countries situated in the same latitude. Perhaps the superior fertility of the country here spoken of, may, in a great measure, be accounted for, from its lying in that part of the peninsula which is by much the widest, and consequently farthest removed from the sea, on each side. The moist chilling fogs and drizzling weather which prevail almost perpetually along the coast, must necessarily render the parts adjacent very unfit for all the purposes of agriculture.[43]

[43] It is in the vicinity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Krusenstern allows, that the climate is so unfavourable, and the soil, in consequence, so ungrateful. But he specifies reasons for believing that the middle provinces of Kamtschatska are equal, if not superior, to many in European Russia, in respect of natural advantages, though certainly far less indebted to the hand of man. He tells us, however, that in the interior, several species of corn are brought to perfection and many kinds of vegetables are cultivated. In his opinion the climate is not so bad as it has generally been represented, and he is convinced that the indolence of the inhabitants, and the incapacity occasioned by the immoderate use of spirits, are far more in fault as to the deficiency or unproductiveness of the soil, than the frequent fogs which are so much complained of, or any other unkindness on the part of nature. In proof of this, he maintains that the officers who are garrisoned here, have laid out gardens for themselves, which, by proper care, yield almost every kind of vegetable necessary for the table, and that too in quantities beyond the usual demand. Besides the materially efficient checks already mentioned, this gentleman specifies a very unreasonable notion, pretty commonly entertained, which has operated extensively in limiting the productions of the earth, and from which not even the officers who had been successful in their particular pursuits were altogether exempt. The notion to which he alludes is, that it would be useless to commence cultivating their gardens before the month of July, although, to his certain knowledge, June was as beautiful as it can possibly be in the most favoured climate, and though, according to Captain King, wild garlic, cellery, and nettles, were gathered for his crew in the month of May. The inference from this last circumstance seems obviously correct. "If," says Krusenstern, "in the middle of May so much is already produced without any cultivation at all, I think I do not assert too much in saying they ought to begin to lay out their gardens in this month." This conclusion appears still more importantly authoritative from what he relates on his own experience. "I passed all the summer months in Kamtschatka," says he, "during the two years of my absence; that is to say, the whole of June, a part of July, and the whole of August and September, and can affirm with confidence, that, in these four months, there are just as many pleasant cheerful days as in any other place under the same latitude." On the whole then, one may readily concur in sentiment with this intelligent officer, that did the government adopt very different measures from those which have hitherto been in force, and were certain practices and prejudices abolished, Kamtschatka might afford as good and cheap living as many other provinces of the Russian empire. To most readers, it is probable, this will seem no very mighty recommendation. Relatively, however, to the person who makes it, and to those to whom it is addressed, it must be allowed to possess a virtue of no common magnitude or efficacy. Perhaps it is necessary to state for the credit of this writer, that some of the immediately following remarks of Captain King, much as they seem at first sight to oppose one of his opinions above approved of, will be found on attentive consideration perfectly reconcileable with them, more particularly if it be remembered that in other countries where much snow falls during the winter, nothing is more usual than to find, on its disappearance, that the earth is covered with a rich and healthy vegetation which a thick coating of that substance, known to be a bad conductor of heat, had preserved from the rigors of the season.--E.

It is natural to suppose, that the severity of the climate must be in due proportion to the general sterility of the soil, of which it is probably the cause. The first time we saw this country was in the beginning of May, 1779, when the whole face of it was covered with snow, from six to eight feet deep. On the 6th we had snow, with the wind from the N.E. On the 8th of May, at noon, the thermometer stood at 32°; and the same day some of our men were sent on shore to try to cut wood, but the snow was still so deep on the ground, as to render all their attempts fruitless. Nor was it found practicable to proceed in this necessary business, with all the efforts of a very stout party, till the 12th, at which time the thaw began to advance gradually. The sides of the hills were now in some places free from snow; and, by the beginning of June, it was generally melted from the low lands. On the 15th of June, the day we sailed out of the harbour, the thermometer had never risen higher than 58°, nor the barometer than 30° 04'. The winds blew almost invariably from the eastward during our stay, and the S.E. was more prevalent than any other.