KURILE ARCHIPELAGO is on the east of Asia. It is a chain of small islands, 900 miles long, extending from Cape Lopataka, the southern promontory of Kamtschatka, in a south-west direc tion, to the Isle of Jew, or Yezo. They are 22 in number, and were first visited by the Russians in 1713. These islands are all mountainous, and in several of them are volcanoes and hot springs. They are partly under Russia, partly under Japan.
The Kurilian or Aino race occupy the mouth of the Saghalin and the southern extremity of Kamtschatka, on the mainland, and all the islands between Kamtachatka and Japan. The peninsula of Tarakai is Kurilian. In the island of Karafto, Kamoi is their chief deity. The Aino are the aboriginal race of Yezo, whose severe treatment by the Japanese has led them to other countries. They also occupy the southern part of the island of Saghalin, which is in possession of the Japanese.
The Aino are of short stature, with broad faces of the Mongol type. They are a timid race, their limbs are hairy, they have bushy beards and long tangled hair, large heads, and clumsy figures ; the expression of their faces is that of good nature cumbered with stupidity.
The Kurilians are courteous and hospitable to each other, though averse to strangers ; and are chiefly employed in hunting, catching birds, and taking sea animals and whales. They carry on a traffic with the Japanese, who bring utensils of metal and wood, sabres, stuffs, tobacco, trinkets, and small wares,' for which they receive whale blubber, skins, fur, and eagles' feathers for arrows. According to M. Rosney, their language is dissimilar to Japanese, and that spoken in the Kuriles and in the island of Yezo are also different from Japanese.-1?ev. Mr. Adana, p. 240. See Japan.