This cargo being put on board, the interpreter Kashmak set at liberty, with a certificate of, and presents for his fidelity, and the hostages delivered up to the Toigons and their relations, who had assembled at the haven, Solovioff put to sea on the 1st of June, with an Easterly wind. Before his departure he received a letter from Glottoff, informing him that he was likewise preparing for his return.
Journal of the Voyage homewards.
| June 2. | The wind beingcontrary, they got but a small way from land. |
| 5. | Steered again towards theshore, came to an anchor, and sent a boat for a supply of water, whichreturned without having seen any body. |
| 6. | Weighed and steered W. witha S. E. wind. |
| 7. | Favourable wind at N. E.and in the afternoon at N. |
| 8. | Wind at N. W. and stormy,the ship drove under the foresail. |
| 9 & 10. | Sailed Northwards,with a Westerly wind. |
| 11. | Calm till noon;afterwards breeze sprung up at S. withwhich they steered W. till next day at noon; when the windcoming round to the West, they changed their course, andsteered N. W. |
| 12. | Calm during the night. |
| 13. | A small breeze ofNortherly wind, with which they steered W. in the afternoon it fellcalm, and continued so till the |
| 16. | at noon, when a breezespringing up at East, they steered W. on which course they continuedduring the |
| 18. | with a S. S. E. wind. |
| From the 19 to the 22. The wind waschangeable from the S. W. to N. W. with which they still made a shift toget to the Westward. | |
| 23. | The wind E. they steeredbetwixt N. & W. which course they continued the |
| 24th, 25th, 26th, with a Northerly wind. | |
| 27. | A. M. the wind changed to S. W. |
| 28, 29, 30. Wind at West. | |
| July 1. | The wind changed to E. with which they steered between W.and S. W. with little variations, till the 3d. |
| 4. | They reached KamchatkoiNoss, and on the 5th. Brought the ship, in good condition, intoKamtchatka river. |
Solovioff's Description of the Fox Islands.
Solovioff's description of these islands and the inhabitants being more circumstantial, than the accounts given by former navigators, deserves to be inserted at full length. According to his estimation, the island Unalashka lies between 1500 and 2000 versts due East from the mouth of the Kamtchatka river: the other islands to the Eastward stretch towards N. E. He reckons the length of Akutan at eighty versts; Umnak at an hundred and fifty, and Unalashka at two hundred. No large trees were seen upon any of the islands which he touched at. They produce underwood, small shrubs, and plants, for the most part similar to the common species found in Kamtchatka. The winter is much milder than in the Eastern parts of Siberia, and continues only from November to the end of March. The snow seldom lies upon the ground for any time.
Rein-deer, bears, wolves, ice-foxes, are not to be found on these islands; but they abound in black, grey, brown, and red foxes; for which reason they have got the name of Lyffie Ostrova, or Fox Islands. These foxes are stronger than those of Yakutsk, and their hair is much coarser. During the day they lie in caves and clifts of rocks; towards evening they come to the shore in search of food; they have long ago extirpated the brood of mice, and other small animals. They are not in the smallest degree afraid of the inhabitants, but distinguish the Russians by the scent; having experienced the effects of their fire-arms. The number of sea-animals, such as sea-lions, sea-bears, and sea-otters, which resort to these shores, are very considerable. Upon some of the islands warm springs and native sulphur are to be found.
Manners and Customs of the Inhabitants.
The Fox-islands are in general very populous; Unalashka, which is the largest island, is supposed to contain several thousand inhabitants. These savages live together in separate communities, composed of fifty, and sometimes of two or even three hundred persons; they dwell in large caves from forty to eighty yards long, from six to eight broad, and from four to five high. The roof of these caves is a kind of wooden grate, which is first spread over with a layer of grass, and then covered with earth. Several openings are made in the iop, through which the inhabitants go up and down by ladders: the smallest dwellings have two or three entrances of this sort, and the largest five or six. Each cave is divided into a certain number of partitions, which are appropriated to the several families; and these partitions are marked by means of stakes driven into the earth. The men and women sit on the ground; and the children lie down, having their legs bound together under them, in order to make them learn to sit upon their hams.
Although no fire is ever made in these caves, they are generally so warm, that both sexes sit naked. These people obey the calls of nature openly, and without esteeming it indecent. They wash themselves first with their own urine, and afterwards with water. In winter they go always bare-footed; and when they want to warm themselves, especially before they go to sleep, they set fire to dry grass and walk over it. Their habitations being almost dark, they use particularly in winter a sort of large lamps, made by hollowing out a stone, into which they put a rush-wick and burn train oil. A stone so hollowed is called Tsaaduck. The natives[62] are whites with black hair; they have flat faces, and are of a good stature. The men shave with a sharp stone or knife, the circumference and top of the head, and let the hair which remains hang from the crown[63]. The women cut their hair in a streight line over the forehead; behind they let it grow to a considerable length, and tie it in a bunch. Some of the men wear their beards; others shave or pull them out by the roots.