TARAKAT, or SAGHALIEN, a large island in the North Pacific Ocean, extends from 40* to 54° 20' N. lat., more than 000 miles in length. The width towards the southern extremity, north of the Bay of Aniva, is nearly 100 mike, but it soon contracts to about 25 miles, which is about its average width as far north as the Bay of Patience, where it suddenly expands to 120 miles, Cape Patience run ning far out into the Pacific. From this point (49° N. lat.) northward the island again grows narrower, but very gradually, so that at 51° N. lat. it is still nearly 80 miles wide. Farther north its average width does not exceed 50 miles. The area of the island probably exceeds 30,000 square miles.
Tarakai extends along the eastern coast of Asia between 142° and 145° E. long., and is separated from the continent by the Gulf of Tartary, which is 200 miles wide at its most southern extremity, but grows nsrrower farther north, until near 51' 30' N. Int. the width is law than 40 miles. At this point a shoal extends across the gulf, on which there is only water for boats. The gulf is almost always covered with thick fogs. Near 52' 30' N. lat. a low sandy cape stretches so far to the cast as to approach very near the western shores of the island. North of this narrow and shallow part the gulf presents a circular basin, sometimes called the Gulf of Saghalien, about 50 miles wide, which receives the waters of the Amur. Krusenetern calls it the Liman of the Amur. This basin I. united with the Sea of Okhotzk by a strait, which In the narrowest part is about 10 miles wide. The southern extremity of Tarakal fe divided from the island of Yeso by the Strait of La Perouse, which is hardly 30 mike wide and in which the tides run with great velocity.
Though the coast of the Island is of great extent and much indented, it does not appear that there are many good harbours. Along the western shores only open roadsteads have been found. At the southern extremity of the island, between Cape Crillon and Cape Aniva, is a wide open bay, the Bay of Aniva, which is inclosed by two projecting tongues of land, and extends 50 miles from south to north. There is good anchorage at its most northern extremity. The pro jecting headland, which occurs near 49° N. lat., on the eastern side of Tarakal, and terminates with Cape Patience, incloses the Bay of Patience, which is very extensive, but open and exposed to eastern and southern winds. At the most northern extremity of the island is the Northern Bay, between Cape Elizabeth and Capo Maria. It offers good anchorage and shelter.
The island is uataraIly divided into three tracts : the mountainous, which occupies the southern portion; the level, in the middle ; and the hilly tract, which extends over the northern districts. The moun tain region Is the largest, and comprehends more than one-half of the island, terminating on the north near 51° N. lat. A chain of moun tains begins at Capo Crillon, and continuea in an uninterrupted lino northward to an elevated summit oalled Peak Bernizel, where it seems to be united to another and lower chain, which traverses the eastern peninsula, and iu:doses the Bay of Aniva on the east. Farther north occur other summits, as Peak Lamanon, PealeMongez, and Mount Tiara : the two last mentioned are north of 50' N. lat. None of these summits have been measured, but their elevation probably does not exceed 6000 feet above the aea-level. On the aummjts of the moun tains snow lies till June. Along the western coast the mountains in
some places come close up to the water's edge, but a narrow level tract generally separates them from the shore, and this tract is covered with high trees, while the declivities of the mountains are mostly bare. Extensive fiats occur at Aniva Bay and the Bay of Patience. The low country which skirts the shore on the eastern side of the inouu tains appears to be more extensive and lees interrupted than that along the western shores. The country extending from 51' to 53° N. lat. is so low that the shores are not visible at the distance of five or six miles, and it is sandy and overgrown with bushes. The interior is in general level, partly sandy and partly swampy, and a great part of it is covered with short bushes or small trees. A number of low sand-hills are dispersed over the country. The hilly tract °couples the most northern part of the island, or that which extends from 53° N. 1st, to Cape Elizabeth. The coast is in general high and steep, being generally composed of perpendicular white cliffs. There are only a few tracts in which the coast sinks down to the level of the sea, and here the villages are built. The interior consists of a suc cession of high hills covered with full-grown trees to the very summits; the valleys which intervene between them are partly wooded and partly covered with a fine close turf. Tho winter seems to bo long and severe, the summer months temperate, but continual fogs inclose the island nearly all the year round.
Produetions.—Tho inhabitants derive profit from the spontaneous products of the soil : they dry the roots of a species of lily for winter food, and collect great quantities of garlic and angelica. The forests consist of oak, maple, birch, and medlar, but chiefly of fir. Large tracts are covered with juiiipertrees. Gooseberries, raspberries, and strawberries abound, and also wild celery and watercress. Among wild animals martens and bears are mentioned. The sea supplies tho inhabitants with abundance of salmon, herring, and cod. Dried and smoked salmon, skins of salmon, salt-herrings, and train-oil aro the principal articles of export. Whales are numerous in the Strait of La Perouee.and along the eastern coast. In the same parts, seals of different kinds and sea-otters are very frequent.
The iuhabitants are aborigines, amoug whom a few Japanese have settled on the Bay of Auiva, and a few Mantchoos on the Northern Bay. In the Japanese settlements are a few Japanese officers, but no Chinese authorities have been seen, nor is this island enumerated among the possessions of the Chinese. The aborigines call themselves that is, men : the same race inhabits the Kurile Islands, and extends along the shores of Asia from the Corea to Kanitchatka. They never cultivate the soil, nor apply themselves to hunting wild animals, and they keep no domestic animals except dogs, which they use in winter for drawing their sledges, like the inhabitants of Kaintchatka. They rarely exceed five feet six inches in height. They have tolerably large eyes, thick Ups, high cheek-bones, and a somewhat broad and compressed nose. Their cheeks and chins are covered with long, thick, black beards. They manufacture a kind of cloth from the bark of the willow. Their huts are of wood, covered with the white bark of birch, and have a roof of wood thatched with_dry straw. Their boats are of large size and strongly built.