The appearance of the country is mountainous, covered with low heath and stunted trees ; but the vallies afford every evidence of considerable natural fertility, and might, by proper cultivation, be made capable of raising malty va luable productions. The) produce grass live feet in height, and abound in wild roses and flowers of the finest perfume. The climate has 'lithe' to been considered as peculiarly ad verse to all agricultural improvements ; but later writers have given a more favourable representation of its capa bilities ; and Krusenstern particularly affirms, that it is not inferior to that of any northern country under the same la titude. On the coast, and in the southern districts, fre quent fogs and drizzling rains, which are very injurious to the growth of grain and vegetables, prevail to a great de gree even in the summer months ; but the northern, and especially the middle districts, present a more fruitful soil, and possess a more genial climate. The winter is long and severe ; and dreadful hurricanes, which bring on thick and heavy showers of snow, occasionally prevent all opera tions out of the house, and all travelling from one place to another. The snow begins to appear in October ; and no thaw takes place till April or May. There are generally heavy rains in spring and autumn ; but the summer months, June, July and August, and even September, " have just as many pleasant and cheerful days," says the last men tioned navigator, " as in any other place under the same latitude ;" " and the month of June," he particularly adds, " was as beautiful as it can possibly be in the most favour ed climate." Even in the middle of May, wild garlic, celery, and net tles, may be gathered for use ; and every kind of cultivation may be commenced in the month of June. Several useful vegetables grow naturally in the summer months, particu larly wild pease, wild garlic, celery, purslane, angelica, and ; but, either from ignorance or prejudice, the natives, and even the Russian soldiers, rarely collect them as arti cles of food. Towards the end of summer, there is a great plenty of raspberries, strawberries, huckleberries, and se veral other kinds, which are often boiled to a jam for pre servation through the winter. Every kind of vegetable and corn may be raised in the inland districts, especially rye and barley ; and even on the southern coasts, the gardens of the Russian officers produce potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and every kind of sallad and pot-herb, in sufficient abun dance. The soil is so productive, that at flacheretsk, where the climate is rather more unfavourable, potatoes produced more than thirty-fold ; and in other places, with out the least attention, rye returns eight-fold, and barley twel,e-fold. Hemp has been cultivated with great suc cess ; and the different kinds of Siberian corn might be advantageously introduced. But agriculture is much ne glected by the inhabitants, whose time is considerably in terrupted by the services which the government requires, and is also more profitably employed in hunting sables than raising corn. The prosperity of the country seems to de mand sonic positive encouragement to be given to me cul tivation of the soil, to counteract the more immediate pro fits of the fur traffic.
The animals most common in this country, are rein deer, the argali or wild sheep, the bear, beaver, fox, otter, hare, sable, ermine, marmot, wolf, weasel, Nvolvereen. There are not above 600 head of cattle m the whole coun try, though pasture is abundant in summer, and plenty of natural hay might be collected for %vitae'. use. Sheep and goats might also be easily reared; but the scarcity of corn precludes entirely the breeding of hogs. There are a few horses at the settlements, which belong to the government, and are entrusted to the care of the Cossacs. They are employed in conveying merchandise, and other %Alicia of the crown, ur for the occasional service of travellers_ Dogs are the prevailing qu:,chupeds in Kanasehatka, and are pe culiarly serviceable to time inhabitants, every muivaima of whom possesses at least half a dozen of those usetut crea tures. They resemble the snephern's dog ill Europe, and are fed cniclly on the offals of various animals, or the de cayed fish which their mastera cannot use ; hut, m sum mer, they are left entirely to provide for themselves, when they range over the country along the banks of lakes and rivers, always returning at the approach of winter, with the greatest punctuality, to mule respective proprietors.
There are no poultry in the country, as there is so little corn for their support, and no means of preserving them from the prowling canine race around the villages. Al most every kind of northern sea-fowl frequent the coasts and bays ; and the inland lakes and rivers are plentifully stored with wild ducks, wild geese, and swans. Wild fowl are remarkably abundant in the country, especially wood cocks, snipes, alai grouse, hawks, falcons, bustards, and various kinds of eagles, sonic of which arc of a prodigious size.
The coasts and rivers are full of excellent fish, cod, her ring, trout, flat-fish, and especially salmon of every spe cies, and of the finest quality. There arc great quantities of crabs and crayfish ; and a great variety of amphibious sea animals are found on the coast, particularly seals, which pursue the shoals of salmon into the rivers and lakes that have any communication with the sea. Whales also are frequently seen and taken in the adjoining seas, and sup ply the inhabitants with various useful articles. The flesh is eaten, and the fat preserved for cooking and for burning. The skin is made.into shoe-soles, belts, cud strops for va rious purposes. The bones are made into knives, chains for the dogs, and protecting covers to the bottom of the sledges. The whiskers are used to sew the seams of the canoes, and to make nets for the larger kinds of fish. The nerves and veins are employed in making snares; and the intestines are cleaned, dried, and blown like bladders, to contain oil and grease.
The natives of Kamtschatka are considered as a different race from the other inhabitants of Siberia, and as having proceeded originally from Mungalia, beyond the river Amur. Both in their language and persons, they are said to hear some similarity to the Mungals. They have a swarthy complexion, black hair, a round face, prominent cheek bones, small sunken eyes, thin eye-blows. large mouths, and thick teeth. They are of short stature, and broad between the shoulders, with slender legs and arms, and hanging bellies. They appear, however, to have oc cupied the peninsula at a very remote period ; and have no traditionary memorials of their emigration, but believe that they were created on the spot which they now inhabit. Their first acknowledged discoverer was a Cossac, named Volodimir Atlassoff, who had been dispatched, in 1697, from fort Jakutsk to the Anadirsk, with orders to engage the assistance of the Koriacs, in discovering and rendering tributary the countries to the east of theirs. With 60 Rus sians, and the same number of Cossacs, he penetrated, in 1699, to the centre of the peninsula ; and built the Verch nei ostrog on the river Kamtschatka, where he left a small garrison, and returned to Jakutsk with a great quantity of tributary furs. Proceeding with these to Aloscow, he was appointed commander of Jakutsk as a reward for his ser vices; and appointed to return to Kamtschatka with suffi cient reinforcements, to complete the conquest of the coun try, and form proper settlements among the natives. In consequence of the oppressive character of the commissa ries, to whom the government of the country was entrust ed, and the undisciplined conduct of the troops, continual revolts, which were suppressed by cruel massacres, oc curred in every part of the peninsula during the first fifty years of its'subjugation to the Russians ; but, with the ex ception of a slight insurrection at Bolcherelsk, it has been in a perfectly peaceable state since the middle of last cen tury. Before the Russian conquest of Kamtschatka, the natives are said to have lived in a state of complete natural equality, subject to no chief, law, or tribute ; but merely rendering a tacit respect to the old men, or to those who were most distinguished for their bravery.