In the morning of the 22d, we made an attempt to get to sea, with the wind at S.E., which miscarried.  The following afternoon, we were visited by one Jacob Ivanovitch Soposnicoff, a Russian, who commanded a boat, or small vessel, at Oomanak.  This man had a great share of modesty, and would drink no strong liquor, of which the rest of his countrymen, whom we had met with here, were immoderately fond.  He seemed to know more accurately what supplies could be got at the harbour of Petropaulowska, and the price of the different articles, than Mr Ismyloff.  But, by all accounts, every thing we should want at that place was very scarce, and bore a high price.  Flour, for instance, was from three to five roubles the pood,[13] and deer from three to five roubles each.  This man told us that he was to be at Petropaulowska in May next, and, as I understood, was to have the charge of my letter.  He seemed to be exceedingly desirous of having some token from me to carry to Major Behm, and to gratify him, I sent a small spying-glass.

[Footnote 13:  36 lb.]

After we became acquainted with these Russians, some of our gentlemen, at different times, visited their settlement on the island, where they always met with a hearty welcome.  This settlement consisted of a dwelling-house and two store-houses.  And, besides the Russians, there was a number of the Kamtschadales, and of the natives, as servants, or slaves, to the former.  Some others of the natives, who seemed independent of the Russians, lived at the same place.  Such of them as belonged to the Russians were all males, and they are taken, or perhaps purchased, from their parents when young.  There was, at this time, about twenty of these, who could be looked upon in no other light than, as children.  They all live in the same house; the Russians at the upper end, the Kamtschadales in the middle, and the natives at the lower end, where is fixed a large boiler for preparing their food, which consists chiefly of what the sea produces, with the addition of wild roots and berries.  There is little difference between the first and last table, besides what is produced by cookery, in which the Russians have the art to make indifferent things palatable.  I have eat whale’s flesh of their dressing, which I thought very good; and they made a kind of pan-pudding of salmon roe, beaten up fine, and fried, that is no bad succedaneum for bread.  They may, now and then, taste real bread, or have a dish in which flour is an ingredient; but this can only be an occasional luxury.  If we except the juice of berries which they sip at their meals, they have no other liquor besides pure water; and it seems to be very happy for them that they have nothing stronger.

As the island supplies them with food, so it does, in a great measure, with clothing.  This consists chiefly of skins, and is, perhaps, the best they could have.  The upper garment is made like our waggoner’s frock, and reaches as low as the knee.  Besides this, they wear a waistcoat or two, a pair of breeches, a fur cap, and a pair of boots, the soles and upper leathers of which are of Russian leather, but the legs are made of some kind of strong gut.  Their two chiefs, Ismyoff and Ivanovitch, wore each a calico frock, and they, as well as some others, had shirts, which were of silk.  These, perhaps, were the only part of their dress not made amongst themselves.