THE people of Kamtfchatka are of a mild and hofpitable difpofition; they are neither thieves nor robbers; and, indeed, they poffefs fo little cunning, that they may eafily be deceived, by taking advantage of their fondness for ftrong liquors. They live in almost perfect harmony with each other; and to this they are probably induced on account of the fmallnefs of their number. This union leads them to mutual affiftance in their labours; which is a great proof of their defire to oblige, if we confider their na tural and uncommon lazinefs. To thefe people an active life would be infupportable; and their greatest happiness, next to that of getting drunk, is to enjoy the luxury of indolence; and fo powerful is this difpofition, that they abfolutely

be reproached with being exceedingly dirty. Notwithstanding this, and many other natural faults, it is to be regretted that their number is inconfiderable; for, from what M. de Leffeps faw, and from what was confirmed to him by feveral people, fentiments of honour and humanity must be searched for among the real Kamtfchadales; they have not yet bartered their rude virtues for the polifhed vices of the Europeans fent thither to civilife them.

The fair fex, in all ages, have been particularly fond of gaiety and pleafure; and this paffion, probably, is confined to no country or climate; it appears under the scorching beams of the tropical fun, and is unchecked by the cold atmosphere of the northern regions. Thofe of Bolcheretfk, once the capital of Kamtfchatka, according to M. de Leffeps' account, are not deficient in this refpect.

"With regard to the women of Bolcheretik," fays he, "who came to our affemblies, and who, for the most part, were of a mixed breed, or born of Ruffian parents, I obferved that their faces in general were not difagreeable. I even faw fome who might be accounted pretty; but the freshness of their complexions does not continue long; and it is doubtlefs their bringing forth children, or the fevere labour to which they are fubjected, that makes them thus wither almost in the flower of their age. They are of a cheerful difpofition, and extremely lively, perhaps a little at the expence of decency! they seek,

among whom they are, by every expedient that mirth and joy can fuggeft. They are fond of finging, and the found of their voice is foft, and far from being difpleafing; it is only to be wifhed that their mufic had not fo great a refemblance to the climate, or that it approached nearer to ours. They fpeak both the Ruffian and Kamifchadale languages; but they all preferve the accent of the latter. I did not expect to fee the Polish dances here, and fill lefs, country dances in the English tafte. Who would believe that the ladies here had any idea of the minuet? Whether it was that my being at fea for twenty-fix months had rendered me lefs difficult, or that the remembrance of former feenes, which this fpectacle revived, had fafcinated my eyes, I thought thefe dances executed with more precifion and grace than I could have imagined. The dancers of whom I fpeak, carry their vanity fo far as to difdain the fongs and dances of the Kamtfchadales. In order to finish my obfervations upon these balls, I muft fay, that the women are not negligent in their drefs; they ornament themselves with the moft elegant articles which they poffefs, or confider as of the greatest value. Thefe dreffes of ceremony confitt principally of filk; and must coft very dear. I fhall here add a remark which I had an opportunity of making, both in thefe affemblies and in thofe of the Kamtfchadales, at which I was afterwards prefent: It is, that the greater part of the hufbands, whether Ruffians or natives, do not appear to be jealous; they readily fhut their eyes on the conduct of their wives, and are very indifferent on this point."

This gentleman's account of the manner in which the Kamtfchadales hunt bears, is curious.

"They attack them various ways, and fometimes lay fnares for them. Under a heavy trap, fupported by a

pretty high fcaffold, they place a bait of fome kind or other to attract the bear, which no fooner smells it than he approaches to devour it; by doing this the animal fhakes the feeble fupporter of the trap, which, falling upon his neck, punishes his voracity by crufhing his head, and fometimes his whole body. In paffing through the woods I have feen many of them caught in this kind of trap, which remains fufpended until a bear is killed by it, and a year often expires before that hap pens. This manner of hunting bears, it may be faid, neither requires a great fhare of courage, nor fubjects the hunters to great fatigue; but there is another method employed in this country, for which both ftrength and courage are neceffary. Whether accompanied or alone, a Kamtfchadale fets out in quest of a bear, with no other arms but his fufee, a kind of carabine, the butend of which is very fmall, a lance, and his knife. All his provifions are confined to a packet, containing about a score of dried fish; and with this flender provifion he penetrates into the thickest woods, and fearches fuch places as are frequented by the animal. He generally pofts himself among fome bufhes, or the reeds that grow on the borders of lakes and rivers, where he boldly waits with patience; if neceffary he will remain thus on the watch for a whole week, until a bear makes his appearance, and as foon as he perceives him, he fixes in the earth a forked stick, in order to fupport his mus, quet. By the help of this stick he is enabled to hold his piece with more steadinefs, and to take a furer aim. Though he uses only a fmall bullet, he feldom fails to hit the animal, either in the head or the fhoulders, which are the most fenfible parts; but he must inftantly reload, for if the bear does not fall on the first discharge, he rushes furiously on the hunter, before he

bas

has time to fire again. In fuch a cafe he has recourfe to his lance, in order to defend himself from the animal; but his life will be in great danger if he does not mortally wound the bear; and it may be readily conceived, that in thefe combats the hunter is not always the conqueror. This, however, does

not prevent the inhabitants from expofing themselves in them almost every day, though they frequently fee others perifh. They cannot fet out upon a hunting excurfion of this kind without reflecting that they muft either conquer or die: but the idea of this fevere alternative neither intimidates nor checks them."

LIFE OF

CAPTAIN JAMES COOK. [Compiled from Dr. Kippis's late Publication.]

C

Concluded from p. 172. APTAIN Cook, who was then the only one remaining on the rock, was obferved making for the pinnace, holding his left hand against the back of his head, to guard it from the ftones, and carrying his mufquet under the other arm. An Indian who had followed him, but with caution and timidity, at laft advanced upon him unawares, and with a large club or stake, gave him a blow on the back of the head, and then precipitately retreated. By this ftroke, captain Cook feemed to be stunned, he staggered a few paces, then fell on his hand and one knee, and dropped his mufquet. As he was rifing, and before he could recover his feet, another Indian ftabbed him in the back of the neck with an iron dagger. He then fell in a bite of water about knee deep, where others crowded upon him, and endeavoured to keep him under; but ftruggling very strongly with them, he got his head up, and cafting his look towards the pinnace, seemed to folicit affiftance. Though the boat was not above five or fix yards from him, yet from the crowd

This accident happened about eight o'clock in the morning, on the 14th of February 1779- Captain Cook's body could not be recovered; but part of his

ed and confused state of the crew, it feems it was not in their power to fave him.-The Indians got him under again, but in deeper water; he was, however, able to get his head up once more, and being almoft fpent in the ftruggle, he naturally turned to the rock, and was endeavouring to fupport himself by it, when a favage gave him a blow with a club, and he was feen alive no more. They hauled him lifeless upon the rocks, where they feemed to take a favage pleasure in ufing every barbarity to his dead body, fnatching the daggers out of each others hands, to have the horrid fatisfaction of piercing the fallen victim of their barbarous rage*."

Thus perished, in the fifty-first year of his age, this truly eminent man; he was equally diftinguished for his skill as a navigator, and for the heroic conftancy and firmness of his mind. In whatever point of view his character is confidered, we find just fubject for admiration: deliberate in judging, fagacious in determining, active in executing, and perfevering in his enterprizes, he fupported labours, overcame difficulties, and encountered dangers. He was rigid in difcipline; but mild, juft, and humane. He was conftitutionally strong; and his mode of living temperate. bones were afterwards collected; and, being put into a coffin, were committed to the deep feven days afterwards,

He