Part 8

At some distance from Tolbatchina we crossed a heath, from which I could perceive three volcanos; none of them threw up any flames, but merely clouds of very black smoke. The first, which I before mentioned in going to Machoure, has its reservoir in the bowels of a mountain that is not exactly of a conical shape, the summit being flattened and but little elevated. This volcano, I was informed, had been at rest for some time, and was supposed to be extinguished, but it had lately kindled again. North-east of this is a peak, the top of which appears to be the crater of a second volcano, which continually throws up smoke, though I could not perceive the smallest spark of fire. The third is north-north-east of the second; I could not observe it as I wished, a high mountain intercepting almost entirely my view. It derives its name from the village of Klutchefskaïa, near which it is situated; and I was told that we should pass closer to it hereafter. The two other volcanos are called in like manner after the ostrog of Tolbatchina, where we arrived in good time. This village is upon the Kamtschatka, forty-four wersts from Chapina, but it contains nothing extraordinary. We were informed that there had been a Kamtschadale wedding in the morning. I regretted the not having been present at this ceremony, which, as I was told, is nearly the same as in Russia. I saw the new married couple, who appeared to be two children. I asked their age. The bridegroom was but fourteen, and the bride only eleven. Such marriages would be considered as premature in any country except Asia.

I had an extreme desire to see the town of Nijenei-Kamtschatka, and had long thought how to satisfy it; to have left the peninsula without visiting the capital, I should have considered as an unpardonable fault. My curiosity did not interfere with my resolution of travelling with all possible expedition. I was obliged indeed to make a circuit, but it was not so far as to occasion a delay of any consequence. Having concerted with M. Kasloff, who was anxious to procure every thing that could render my journey agreeable and safe, I engaged to join him at the village of Yelofki, where the arrangement of some affairs of his government would detain him several days.

That I might lose less time, I took leave of him the evening of our arrival at Tolbatchina. But the roads were still worse than any we had yet met with. It was with the utmost difficulty I could reach Kosirefski by break of day, a village sixty-six wersts from Tolbatchina.

I made no stay, elated with having happily escaped all the dangers that beset me in so terrible a road, and in the darkness of the night[73]. I conceived that I had nothing to fear in the day, and proceeded with a kind of confidence for which I was soon punished. After having travelled a considerable number of wersts upon the Kamtschatka, which I had been delighted to find again, and the width of which in this place particularly struck me, I was obliged to quit it and enter a sort of strait, where the snow, driven by the hurricanes, presented an uneven and deceitful surface. It was impossible to see or avoid the rocks that surrounded me. I presently heard a crack that told me my sledge was damaged; it was in reality one of my skates broken in two. My guides assisted me in adjusting it in the best manner we could, and we had the good fortune to reach Ouchkoff without any other accident. It was midnight, and we travelled this day sixty-six wersts. My first care was to refit my sledge, which detained me till the next day.

There are in this village one isba, and eleven balagans; the number of inhabitants is reduced to five families, who are divided into three yourts. In the neighbourhood is a lake which abounds so much with fish, that all the villages round resort to it for their winter stock. It is also a considerable resource for the capital, which would otherwise be almost destitute of a provision of the first necessity throughout the peninsula.

I left Ouchkoff early in the morning, and at noon had travelled forty-four wersts, partly upon the Kamtschatka, and partly across extensive heaths. The first village I came to was Krestoff. It was a little larger than the preceding ostrog, but similar in other respects to what I had before seen. I only stayed to change my dogs. Hitherto I had pursued the road which M. Kasloff was to take to get to Yelofki; but instead of proceeding like him to Khartchina, I directed my course, upon coming out of Krestoff, towards the village of Klutchefskaïa, which is thirty wersts from it.

The weather, which, since our departure from Apatchin, had been very fine, though cold, changed all of a sudden in the afternoon. The sky became clouded, and the wind, which rose in the west, brought us a heavy snow. It extremely incommoded us, and prevented me from examining as I could have wished, the volcano of Klutchefskaïa, which I had seen at the same time with those of Tolbatchina. As far as I could judge, the mountain that carries it in its womb, is considerably higher than the other two. It continually throws up flames, which seem to ascend from the midst of the snow, with which the mountain is covered to its very summit.

Upon the approach of night I came to the village of Klutchefskaïa. The inhabitants are all Siberian peasants, from the neighbourhood of the Lena, and were sent about fifty years ago into this part of the peninsula to cultivate the land. The number of males, including men and children, scarcely exceed fifty. The small-pox attacked only those who had not before been affected with it; but it carried off more than one half of them. These labourers are less happy than those who live in the neighbourhood of Vercknei-Kamtschatka. The quantity and quality of their last harvest, both rye and barley, exceeded their hopes. These peasants have many horses belonging to them; in the mean time there are some which are the property of government.

This ostrog is tolerably large, and appears the more so from being divided into two parts, about four hundred yards from each other. It extends principally from east to west. To the eastward is situated the church, which is built of wood, and in the Russian taste. The majority of houses are better constructed, and are more clean, than any I have yet seen. There are also some considerable magazines. The number of balagans is small, and they are very unlike those of the Kamtschadales; their form is oblong, and their roof, which has the same declivity as ours, rests upon posts, which support it in the air.

The Kamtschatka passes at the bottom of the ostrog; it is never entirely frozen in this part. In summer it frequently overflows and enters the very houses, though they are all of them built upon an eminence.

Four wersts east of the church of Klutchefskaïa, is another _zaimka_, or little hamlet, inhabited by Cossacs or labouring soldiers, whose harvests belong to government: but I cannot get out of my way to examine it.

I made a very short stay at Klutchefskaïa, my impatience to see Nijenei inducing me to leave it the same evening in order to reach Kamini, a Kamtschadale village, twenty wersts farther. I arrived at midnight, but merely passed through it.

Before day I was at Kamokoff, twenty wersts from Kamini. I soon arrived at Tchokofskoi, or Tchoka, which is twenty-two wersts farther. From thence to Nijenei, the distance is the same, and I travelled it equally in a few hours. I had the pleasure of entering a little before noon into this capital of Kamtschatka, which is seen at a considerable distance, but its appearance is neither striking nor agreeable.

It presents to our view merely a cluster of houses, with three steeples rising above them, and is situated upon the border of the Kamtschatka, in a bason formed by a chain of mountains that raise their lofty heads around it, but which are however at a tolerable distance. Such is the position of the town of Nijenei, of which I had a higher opinion before I saw it. The houses, amounting to about a hundred and fifty, are of wood, built in a very bad taste, small, and buried beside under the snow, which the hurricanes collect there. These hurricanes prevail almost continually in this quarter, and have only ceased within a few days. There are two churches at Nijenei, one is in the town, and has two steeples; the other belongs to, and is in the circuit of the fort. These two buildings are wretchedly constructed. The fort is almost in the middle of the town, and is a large palisaded enclosure of a square form. Besides the church, the enclosure contains also the magazines, the arsenal, and the guard-house: a sentinel is stationed at the entrance both day and night. The house of the governor, major Orleankoff, is near the fortress, and, its size excepted, is similar to the rest of the houses; it is neither higher, nor built in a better taste.

I alighted at the house of an unfortunate exile, named Snafidoff, who had suffered the same punishment as Ivaschkin, nearly at the same time, but for different causes: like Ivaschkin, he had been banished to Kamtschatka ever since the year 1744.

I had scarcely entered, when an officer from M. Orleankoff came to congratulate me upon my happy arrival. He was followed by many of the principal officers of the town, who came one after another in the most obliging manner to offer me their services. I expressed a becoming sense of their civilities, but was mortified at their having taken me by surprise. As soon as I was dressed, I hastened to return my thanks to each of them separately. I began with major Orleankoff, whom I found busily preparing for an entertainment that he was to give the next day, upon the marriage of a Pole in the Russian service, with the niece of the protapope, or chief priest. He had not only the politeness to invite me to the wedding, but came to me in the morning, and conducted me to his house, that I might lose no part of this spectacle, which he rightly judged was calculated to interest me.

In the mean time what struck me most was the strictness of the ceremonial. The distinction of rank seemed to be observed with the most scrupulous delicacy. The formality, compliments, and cold civilities, which opened the entertainment, gave it a starched air, that promised more dulness than gaiety. The repast was the most sumptuous the country could furnish. Among other dishes there was a variety of soups, accompanied with cold meats, upon which we fed heartily. The second service consisted of roasted dishes and pastry. The dinner had less the appearance of sensuality than profusion. The liquors were the produce of the different fruits of the country, boiled up and mixed with French brandy. But a profusion of the brandy of the country, made from the _slatkaïa-trava_, or sweet herb, which I have already noticed, was almost continually served round in preference. This liquor has no disagreeable taste, and is even aromatic; they use it the more readily, as it is less unwholesome than the brandy distilled from corn. The guests by degrees assumed an air of good humour. Their heads were not proof against the fumes of so strong a beverage, and soon the grossest mirth circulated round the table. To this noisy and sumptuous feast a ball succeeded, that was conducted with tolerable regularity. The company were gay, and amused themselves till the evening with Polish and Russian country dances. The festival ended with a splendid fire-work, that had been prepared by M. Orleankoff, and which he himself let off. It was only a trifling one, but it had a good effect, and left nothing to be desired. I enjoyed the astonishment and extasy of the spectators, who were little accustomed to exhibitions of this nature: it was a subject for a painter. Rapt in admiration, they exclaimed in full chorus at every squib. The regret they expressed at its short duration afforded me equal amusement. It was necessary to attend to the extravagant encomiums that were unanimously bestowed upon them; and on departing, every individual sighed over the remembrance of all the pleasures of the day.

The next day I was invited to the house of the protapope, uncle to the bride, where the entertainment was similar to that of the preceding one, except the fire-work. I have already observed, that the protapope is chief of all the churches in Kamtschatka. The clergy throughout the peninsula are subordinate to him, and he has the decision of all ecclesiastical affairs. His residence is at Nijenei. He is an old man, not entirely deprived of his vigour, with a long white beard which flows down upon his breast and gives him a truly venerable appearance. His conversation is sensible, sprightly, and calculated to gain him the respect and affection of the people.

There are two tribunals at Nijenei, one that concerns the governments, and the other takes cognizance of all mercantile disputes. The magistrate who presides in the latter, is a kind of burgomaster, subject to the orders of the _gorodnitch_, or governor of the town. We have already seen that each of these jurisdictions holds from the tribunal of Okotsk, to the governor of which it is accountable for all its proceedings.

But what most interested me at Nijenei, and what I cannot pass over in silence, was my finding there nine Japanese, who had been brought thither in the preceding summer, from the Aleutienne islands, by a Russian vessel employed in the trade of otter skins.

One of the Japanese informed me, that he and his companions had embarked in a ship of their own country, with an intention of visiting the more southern Kurilles islands, for the purpose of trading with the inhabitants. They directed their course along the coast, and were at a small distance from it, when they were overtaken by a violent gale, which carried them out to sea, and deprived them of all knowledge where they were. According to his account, which however I did not altogether believe, they beat about in the ocean for near six months without seeing land; of course they must have had a plentiful stock of provisions. At length they discerned the Aleutienne islands, and transported with joy, they determined to make for that coast, without well knowing in what part of the world it was. They accordingly cast anchor near one of the islands, and a small shallop brought them to land. At this place they found certain Russians, who proposed to them to unlade their vessel, and remove it to a place of security; but either from suspicion, or perhaps that they thought the next day would be early enough, the Japanese peremptorily refused. They had soon occasion to repent of their negligence. That very night there arose a strong gale, during which their ship stranded; and as this was not discovered till break of day, they had the utmost difficulty to save a small part of the cargo, and some pieces of the vessel, which had been almost entirely constructed of cedar. The Russians, who had before treated them with civility, now exerted every effort in their power to make these unfortunate people forget their loss. They at length persuaded them to accompany them to Kamtschatka, whither they were bound upon their return. My Japanese added, that they had at first been much more numerous, but that the fatigues of the sea, and afterwards the rigour of the climate, had taken off many of his companions.

My informer appeared to have over his eight countrymen a very distinguished superiority; and he informed us that he was himself a merchant, and the rest only sailors under his command. Certain it is, that they entertain for him a singular veneration and friendship. They are penetrated with grief, and shew the greatest uneasiness when he is indisposed, or the least unfavourable accident has befallen him. They regularly send twice a day one of their body to wait upon him. His friendship for them may be said not to be less; not a day passes without his visiting them, and he employs the greatest care that they should be in want of nothing. His name is Kodaïl: his figure has nothing in it singular, and is even agreeable; his eyes do not project like those of the Chinese; his nose is long, and he has a beard which he frequently shaves. He is about five feet in stature, and is tolerably well made. At first he wore his hair in the Chinese fashion; that is, he had a single lock depending from the middle of his head, the rest of his hair round it being close shaved; but he has lately been persuaded to let it grow, and to tie it after the French fashion. He is extremely apprehensive of cold, and the warmest garments given him are scarcely able to save him from it. Under these he constantly wears the dress of his country: this consists in the first place of one or more long chemises of silk, like our dressing gowns; and over these he wears one of woollen, which seems to imply that this sort of materials is more precious in their estimation than silk. Perhaps however the circumstance arises from some motive of convenience, of which I am ignorant. The sleeves of this garment are long and open; and, in spite of the rigour of the climate, he has constantly his arms and his neck uncovered. They put a handkerchief about his neck when he goes abroad, which he takes off as soon as he enters a house, being, as he says, unable to support it.

His superiority over his countrymen was calculated to make him be distinguished; but this circumstance has less weight than the vivacity of his temper and the mildness of his disposition. He lodges and eats at the house of major Orleankoff. The freedom with which he enters the house of the governor and other persons, would among us be thought insolent, or at least rude. He immediately fixes himself as much at his ease as possible, and takes the first chair that offers; he asks for whatever he wants, or helps himself, if it be within his reach. He smokes almost incessantly; his pipe is short, and ornamented with silver; he puts into it a very small quantity of tobacco, which he renews every moment. To this habit he is so much addicted, that it was with difficulty they could persuade him to part with his pipe even at meals. He is possessed of great penetration, and apprehends with admirable readiness every thing you are desirous to communicate. He has much curiosity, and is an accurate observer. I was assured that he kept a minute journal of every thing he saw, and all that happened to him. Indeed the objects and the customs he has an opportunity to observe, have so little resemblance to those of his country, that every thing furnishes him with a subject of remark. Attentive to whatever passes, or is said in his presence, he puts it into writing, for fear of forgetting it. His characters appeared to me considerably to resemble the Chinese, but the form of writing is different, these writing from right to left, and the Japanese from the top of the page to the bottom. He speaks Russian with sufficient ease to make himself understood; you must however be used to his pronunciation to converse with him, as he delivers himself with a volubility that frequently obliges you to miss something he says, or apprehend it in a wrong sense. His repartees are in general sprightly and natural. He employs no concealment or reserve, but tells with the utmost frankness what he thinks of every one. His company is agreeable, and his temper tolerably even, though with a considerable tendency to suspicion. Does he miss any thing? he instantly imagines that it has been stolen from him, and discovers anxiety and disquietude. His sobriety is admirable, and perfectly contrasts with the manners of this country. When he has determined to drink no strong liquor, it is impossible to induce him so much as to taste it; when he is inclined, he asks for it of his own accord, but never drinks to excess. I observed also, that, after the manner of the Chinese, in eating he made use of two little sticks, which he handled with great dexterity.

I requested to see some of the coin of his country, and he readily gratified my curiosity. The gold coin was a thin plate of an oval form, and of about two inches in its longest diameter. It is marked with various Japanese characters, and it appeared to be of pure gold, without any alloy, so that it readily bent in any manner you pleased. Their silver money is square, smaller, thinner, and lighter than that of gold; he however assured me that at Japan this was the superior coin. The copper coin is precisely the same as the _cache_ of the Chinese: it is round, and nearly of the size of our two _liard_ pieces, with a square perforation in the middle.

I asked him some questions respecting the nature of the merchandize they had saved from their wreck, and I understood, from his answer, that it consisted chiefly in cups, plates, boxes, and other commodities of that sort, with a very fine varnish. I afterwards found they had sold a part of them at Kamtschatka.

I trust I shall be forgiven this digression upon these Japanese; I can scarcely imagine that it will be thought impertinent; it will assist us in becoming acquainted with a nation that we have scarcely an opportunity to see and observe.

Having spent three days at Nijenei Kamtschatka, I left it 12 February at one o'clock in the afternoon, to meet M. Kasloff, whom I was sure of finding at Yelofki. My road for some time was the same as I had already travelled in going to Nijenei, and I arrived at Tchoka early in the evening. A strong westerly wind almost always prevails in this place. The situation of the ostrog sufficiently accounts for it, which is upon a river that runs between two chains of mountains that stretch along its banks to the distance of twenty five wersts.

I passed the night at Kamokoff, and the next morning I arrived in a few hours at the ostrog of Kamini, or Peter's town, where I took the road to Kartchina. In my way I passed three lakes, the last of which was very large, and not less than five leagues in circumference. I slept at this ostrog, which is forty wersts from the preceding one, and situated upon the river Kartchina[74].

I set off as soon as it was light, and notwithstanding the bad weather, which lasted all the day, I travelled seventy wersts, which brought me to Yelofki. It is upon a river of the same name, and surrounded with mountains.

M. Kasloff was astonished at my expedition. I had vainly flattered myself, that the moment of our meeting would be that of our departure; but his business was not yet finished, and we were obliged to prolong our stay: he hoped also that M. Schmaleff would soon arrive. We had calculated that he would meet us at this ostrog. This expectation, which was fruitless, and the affairs of M. Kasloff, detained us five days longer. At length he complied with my impatience, and agreed to set off the 19, very early in the morning.