Kamchatka  likewise  affords  beavers.  The  fur  of  this
creature  is  as  soft  as  down ;  its  teeth  are  small  and
sharp,  but  its  tail  short,  flat  and  broad,  terminating  in
a  point.  Beavers  are  catched  here  with  the  line,  and
sometimes  they  are  shot  under  the  ice.
The  sea-lion  is  of  the  size  of  an  ox ;  its  cry  is  dread-
ful ;  but,  happily  for  navigators,  it  is  one  of  the  signs
of  the  vicinity  of  land  during  the  fogs,  which  are  so
common  here.  The  sea-lion  is  a  timid  animal ;  it  is
struck  with  the  harpoon,  or  shot  with  the  musket,  or
bow  and  arrow.
The  sea-calf  is  found  in  great  abundance  near  all  the
islands  and  headlands  of  Kamchatka ;  it  never  goes  far
from  shore,  but  enters  the  mouths  of  rivers  to  devour
fish.  The  skin  of  the  sea-calf  is  used  to  make  buskins.
The  inhabitants  of  Kamchatka  take  this  animal  with
the  line.
Kamchatka  affords  a  large  (juantity  of  different  kinds
of  fish,  from  the  whale  to  the  smallest  species,  but  the
birds  of  this  country  are  few  ;  and  as  I  know  of  nothing
new  with  respect  to  either,  I  shall  here  conclude  this
article.
14]


CHAPTER  XVI

The  original  people  of  Kamchatka  call  themselves  Itel-
men,  which  word  denotes  inhabitants  of  the  country.
If  we  were  to  attempt  to  discuss  their  origin  from  the
construction  of  their  language,  we  should  declare  them
to  be  descendants  of  the  Mongal  tartars  :  their  figure
resembles  that  people :  their  hair  is  black,  their  beard
is  thin,  and  their  face  broad  and  flat.  This  nation
possesses  no  tradition  respecting  its  origin :  it  was
numerous  at  the  arrival  of  the  first  Cossacks,  but  has
since  greatly  diminished.
