KAMTSCHATKA, a large peninsula in the south-east ern extremity of Siberia, is situated between 153° and East Long. from Greenwich, and extends from to 62° of North Latitude. It is bounded on the west by the sea of Okotsk, or Kamtschatka ; on the east and south by the Pacific Ocean ; and on the north by the country of the Ko riaks, from which it is separated by an isthmus about 40 miles broad, lying between the gulfs of Olutorsk and Pen ginsk. From this junction with the main land to its most southern point, it stretches about 600 miles; amid is nearly hall that distance in breadth, from the mouth of the Tegil to that of the Kamtschatka river, in the latitude of hut becomes gradually narrower towards each extremity, ter minating on the south in a low promontory, called Cape Lepatka.
Kamtschatka was first discoverd by the Russians about the year 1696 ; but the natives preserve a tradition of a much earlier visit from that people. They point out the spot where a few strangers from Russia settled, and inter married in the country who were afterwards murdered in a quarrel with the natives; and this account is supposed to describe the fate of a ship's crew belonging to a small squa dron, whi,:h sailed from Kolyma about the middle of the 17th century. The whole peninsula was finally subdued by the Russian arms in 1711; but, for some time, added little to the trade or wealth of the empire, except a small tribute of furs. Ake' the discovery, however, of the joiniag islands, (see ALEtmax, BEERING, and Fox Is LANDS.) the supply of furs was greatly increased, and K..int sehatka became an important station of Russian commerce with the east. The peninsula is divided into four dis tricts, forming one government, and protected by a force of 500 men.
The peninsula of Kamtschatka is traversed through its whole length, and divided into two parts of nearly equal extent, by a chain of mountains, which form a part of the same line with those of the Kurile and Japan islands. In these mountains ate several volcanoes ; one on the summit of Kam tsc bat ka, the highest of the whole ridge ; another on a neck of land, between the liver Ktontschatku and Tolba licheck ; and a third to the north of Awatska bay, called Awachinsky, which frequently emits immense volumes of smoke, ashes, and flame. There are several hot springs in
the country, which never freeze ; and two extraordinary wells, where the water boils with prodigious force, send ing forth at the same time a dense vapour and dreadful noise.
From the mountains, many rapid streams descend to the coast. The principal rivers are the Teghil, which falls into the sea of Penckinsbe, in 58° North Latitude ; the Bol chaia-reka, or Great River, whicii flow s from a large inland lake, and hills into the sea of Okotsk, in 45' North La titude ; the Awutscha, flow-, into the bay of Peter or Paul, on the east side of the peninsula ; and the Kamtschatka, the only navigable river in the country, which, after a long course towards the north and north-east, joins the Eastern Ocean in North Latitude. The most considerable lakes arc Nei pache, near the mouth of the Kamtschatka; Kvonotskoy, farther soldh, above 50 versta long and 40 broad ; and the Kurilskoy, near the southern extremity of the peninsula. On the eastern side arc several large bays, and especially that of Awatska, in 44' North Latitude, about 25 miles in circuit.
The principal ostroga, or towns, are Bolcheretsk, the re aidence of the governor, containing about 300 inhabitants, and situated on the west coast, in a swampy plain, at the mouth of the Botchain-reka ; Peterpaulowska, or Peter and Paul, containing about 30 houses, and situated in the bot tom of Awatska bay, on the east coast, about 133 miles dis tant from Bolcheretsk ; Nishnei-Kanaselratka, about 20 miles up the river Katutschatka, a considerable mart for the inland traffic of the country, defended by a fort, and con taining 150 houses. Several forts are planted along the coast, in the vicinity of which a few houses are found; but the inhabitants are thinly scattered over the country, in so litary huts, ur small hamlets, scarcely deserving the name of villages.