fore many years have elapsed, these few will perhaps have entirely
disappeared. "With no other wares," says this candid man, "than a
large quantity of very bad gin, the merchants travelled about the
country to procure furs. As soon as one of them arrived in an ostrog,
he treated his host with a glass of spirits. The Kamtschadales are all
so unfortunately attached to strong liquors, that it is absolutely
impossible for them to resist the pleasure of getting intoxicated. As
soon as he has drank a glass of gin, which he receives for nothing, he
instantly begs another, for which, however, he must pay; then a
second, a third, and so on. Still, however, he has had his spirits
unadulterated; but the moment he begins to be intoxicated, instead of
pure spirits, they give it him mixed with water; and in order that the
deception may be carried on with the more security, the merchants have
the vessels, destined for the spirits, called _fliaega_, divided into
two parts; in the smaller one of which they carry their unmixed
spirits, and in the other the mixed. The merchant now continues to ply
the Kamtschadale with the weaker liquor, until he becomes perfectly
senseless, and then takes possession of his whole stock of sables and
other furs, alleging, that they are to pay for the quantity of spirits
which he has drank. Thus, in an unfortunate moment, the Kamtschadale
loses the reward of many months labour and cost; and, instead of
providing himself with powder and shot, and other necessary and
indispensable articles, such as would have contributed to his own and
his family's comfort, he has exhausted all his wealth for one debauch,
which only weakens him, and renders him more helpless and destitute
for the future. This wretchedness is accompanied by a depression of
spirits, which must have a pernicious influence on his body, already
weakened by disease, and which, at length, from the total want of
substantial food, and of medical assistance, becomes unable to resist
such frequent attacks upon it. This appears to me the cause of their
annual decrease, assisted by epidemical disorders, which sweep them
off in great numbers." But another cause has been assigned in addition
to this very deplorable one, and this it may now be necessary to
specify a little more particularly. Let the words of the same writer
be