A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 17: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History; of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and; Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the; Present TimeKerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 17: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History; of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and; Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the; Present Time
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
This country likewise affords woodcocks, snipes, and two sorts of grouse,
or moor-game. Swans are also said to be in great plenty; and in their
entertainments, generally to make a part of the repast, though I do not
remember to have seen one on any occasion. The vast abundance of wild-fowl
with which the country is stored, was manifest from the numerous presents
we received from the _Toion_ of Saint Peter and Saint Paul; and which
sometimes consisted of twenty brace.
We met with no amphibious sea-animals on the coast, except seals, with
which the bay of Awatska swarmed; as they were at this time in pursuit of
the salmon that were collecting in shoals, and ready to ascend the rivers.
Some of them are said to pursue the fish into the fresh water, and to be
found in most of the lakes which communicate with the sea.
The sea-otters[72] are exactly the same with those we met with at Nootka
Sound, which have been already fully described, and where they are in great
plenty. They are also said to have been formerly in equal abundance here;
but, since the Russians have opened a trade for their skins to China, where
they are sold at a price much beyond that of any other kind of fur, they
have been hunted almost entirely out of the country. Amongst the Kurile
Islands they are still caught, though in no great numbers; but are of a
superior quality to those of Kamtschatka, or the American coast.
We are informed, that on Mednoi and Beering's Island, scarce a sea-otter is
now to be found; though it appears from Muller,[73] that in his time they
were exceedingly plentiful.
The Russian voyagers make mention of a great variety of amphibious sea-
animals, which are said to frequent these coasts; the reason why we saw no
other kinds might be, that this was the season of their migration.
Not having it in my power to treat these articles more fully, I conclude
them with the less regret, since the ingenious Mr Pennant has a work,
almost ready for publication, entitled, "Arctic Zoology;" in which the
learned will receive full information concerning the animals of this
peninsula. This gentleman has very obligingly communicated to me his
Catalogue of Arctic Animals, with reference to his work, and permission to
insert it. It will be found at the end of this section; and I feel myself
extremely happy in laying it before the reader, and thereby presenting him
with, what could have been furnished from no other quarter, one entire view
of Kamtschadale zoology.[74]
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