Whenever they are wounded in any encounter, or bruised by any accident, they apply a sort of yellow root to the wound, and fast for some time. When their head achs, they open a vein in that part with a stone lancet. When they want to glue the points of their arrows to the shaft, they strike their nose till it bleeds, and use the blood as glue.
Murder is not punished amongst them, for they have no judge. With respect to their ceremonies of burying the dead, they are as follow: The bodies of poor people are wrapped up in their own clothes, or in mats; then laid in a grave, and covered over with earth. The bodies of the rich are put, together with their clothes and arms, in a small boat made of the wood driven ashore by the sea: this boat is hung upon poles placed cross-ways; and the body is thus left to rot in the open air.
The customs and manners of the inhabitants of the Aleütian Isles are nearly similar to those of the inhabitants of the Fox Islands. The former indeed are rendered tributary, and entirely subject to Russia; and most of them have a slight acquaintance with the Russian language, which they have learned from the crews of the different vessels who have landed there.
PART II.
CONTAINING
THE CONQUEST OF SIBERIA,
AND
THE HISTORY
OF THE
TRANSACTIONS AND COMMERCE
BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA.
CHAP. I.
First irruption of the Russians into Siberia—Second inroad—Yermac driven by the Tzar of Muscovy from the Volga, retires to Orel a Russian Settlement—Enters Siberia with an army of Cossacks—His progress and exploits—Defeats Kutchum Chan—conquers his dominions—cedes them to the Tzar—receives a reinforcement of Russian troops—is surprized by Kutchum Chan—his defeat and death—Veneration paid to his memory—Russian troops evacuate Siberia—re-enter and conquer the whole country—their progress stopped by the Chinese.
First Irruption of the Russians into Siberia under the Reign of Ivan Vassilievitch I.