oncealing himself amongst the rocks, as he makes his approaches,
till he gets immediately over them, and nigh enough for his purpose. He
then begins to push down with his paws pieces of the rock amongst the herd
below. This manoeuvre is not followed by any attempt to pursue, until he
find he has maimed one of the flock, upon which a course immediately
ensues, that proves successful, or otherwise, according to the hurt the
barein has received.[39]

I cannot conclude this digression, without observing, that the
Kamtschadales very thankfully acknowledge their obligations to the bears
for what little advancement they have hitherto made either in the sciences
or polite arts. They confess that they owe to them all their skill both to
physic and surgery; that, by remarking with what herbs these animals rub
the wounds they have received, and what they have recourse to when sick and
languid, they have become acquainted with most of the simples in use among
them, either in the way of internal medicine, or external application. But,
what will appear somewhat more singular, is, they acknowledge the bears
likewise for their dancing-masters. Indeed, the evidence of one's senses
puts this out of dispute; for the bear-dance of the Kamtschadales is an
exact counterpart of every attitude and gesture peculiar to this animal,
through its various functions; and this is the foundation and groundwork of
all their other dances, and what they value themselves most upon.

I returned to the ships on the 28th, very well pleased with my excursion,
as it had afforded me an opportunity of seeing a little more of the
country, and of observing the manners and behaviour of the Kamtschadales,
when freed from that constraint which they evidently lie under in the
company of the Russians.

No occurrence worth mentioning took place till the 30th, when Captain Gore
went to Paratounca, to put up in the church there an escutcheon, prepared
by Mr Webber, with an inscription upon it, setting forth Captain Clerke's
age and rank, and the object of the expedition in which he was engaged at
the time of his decease. We also affixed to the tree under which he was
buried, a board, with an inscription upon it to the same effect.[40]

Before his departure, Captain Gore left orders with me to get the ships out
of the harbour into the bay, to be in readiness to sail. We were prevented
from doing this by a violent gale of wind, which lasted the whole day of
the 1st of Octo