Travels in Kamtschatka, During the Years 1787 and 1788, Volume 1Lesseps, Jean-Baptiste-Barthélemy, baron de
History
Travels in Kamtschatka, During the Years 1787 and 1788, Volume 1
Lesseps, Jean-Baptiste-Barthélemy, baron de
Kamchatka Peninsula (Russia) -- Description and travel
Their clothing is the same. The outer garment, which is called
_parque_, is like a waggoner's frock, and is made of the skins of
deer, or other animals, tanned on one side. They wear under this long
breeches of similar leather, and next the skin a very short and tight
shirt, either of nankin or cotton stuff; the women's are of silk, which
is a luxury among them. Both sexes wear boots; in summer, of goats
or dogs skins tanned; and in winter, of the skins of sea wolves, or
the legs of rein deer[36]. The men constantly wear fur caps; in the
mild season they put on longer shirts of nankin, or of skin without
hair; they are made like the parque, and answer the same purpose,
that is, to be worn over their other garments. Their gala dress, is a
parque trimmed with otter skins and velvet, or other stuffs and furs
equally dear. The women are clothed like the Russian women, whose mode
of dress is too well known to need a description; I shall therefore
only observe, that the excessive scarcity of every species of stuff
at Kamtschatka, renders the toilet of the women an object of very
considerable expence: they sometimes adopt the dress of the men.
The principal food of these people consists, as I have already
observed, in dried fish. The fish are procured by the men, while the
women are employed in domestic occupations, or in gathering fruits and
other vegetables, which, next to the dried fish, are the favourite
provisions of the Kamtschadales and Russians of this country. When the
women go out to make these harvests for winter consumption, it is high
holy-day with them, and the anniversary is celebrated by a riotous and
intemperate joy, that frequently gives rise to the most extravagant and
indecent scenes. They disperse in crowds through the country, singing
and giving themselves up to all the absurdities which their imagination
suggests; no consideration of fear or modesty restrains them. I cannot
better describe their licentious frenzy than by comparing it with the
bacchanals of the Pagans. Ill betide the man whom chance conducts and
delivers into their hands! however resolute or however active he may
be, it is impossible to evade the fate that awaits him; and it is
seldom that he escapes, without receiving a severe flagellation.
Their provisions are prepared nearly in the following manner; it will
appear, from the recital, that they cannot be accused of much delicacy.
They are particularly careful to waste no part of the fish. As soon as
it is caught they tear out the gills, which they immediately suck with
extreme gratification. By another refinement of sensuality or gluttony,
they cut off also at the same time some slices of the fish, which they
devour with equal avidity, covered as they are with clots of blood.
The fish is then gutted, and the entrails reserved for their dogs. The
rest is prepared and dried; when they eat it either boiled, roasted, or
broiled, but most commonly raw.
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