fome conical huts, raifed on poles. But, in this wretched extremity of the earth, fituated beyond every thing that could be conceived to be most barbarous and inhofpitable, and, as it were, out of the very reach of civilization, barricaded with ice, and covered with fummer fnow, in a poor miferable port, far inferior to the meaneft of our fishing towns, they met with feelings of humanity joined to a greatness of mind, which would have done honour to any nation or climate.

The arrival of the fhips gave great_alarm at first, to the Commander at Petropaulowfki; but proper explanations and confequent civilities foon took place. Mr. King, Mr. Webber, and two failors, who had each a boat-hook, being sent to wait upon the Commander, who was a Serjeant in the Ruffian fervice, met with great difficulties in walking over the ice, which extended half a mile from the fhore. On their return, therefore, the Serjeant provided a fledge, drawn by five dogs, with a driver, for each of them. The failors were highly delighted with this mode of conveyance; and what diverted them ftill more; was, that a fledge was appropriated to each of the boat-hooks.

As there was no poffibility of procuring provifions or naval ftores at Petropaulowfki; and as the Serjeant could not act in this affair, without orders from the Ruffian Commander of Kamptfchatka, who refided at Bolcheretsk, a town on the Weft Side of the Peninsula, diftant from Petropaulowfki about 135 miles; the Serjeant, on the first interview, had dispatched a meffenger to his fuperior officer. This ineffenger, who was fent off on the 29th, about noon, in a fledge drawn by dogs, returned early in the morning on the 3d of May; fo that he was little more than three days and a half in performing a journey of 270 miles.

On the 4th a Mr. Fedofitfch, a Ruffian merchant, and a German, named Port, (who, in the fequel, proved very useful as an interpreter) waited on Capt. Clerke, with a letter from Major Behm, the Commander of Kamptfchatka. This letter was merely complimental, inviting Capt. Clerke and his officers to Bolcheretik, to which place the people who brought it were to conduct them.

Capt. Gore, Mr. King, and Mr. Webber being appointed by Capt. Clerke, to wait upon the Commander at Bolcheretfk, they fet out on the 7th, accompanied by Mellrs. Fedoficfch and Port, and two Coffacks. Part of the way they proceeded by the tedious and difficult navigation of the river Awatska. In the evening they erected a marquee, and flept on shore. In the

morning of the 8th, they were met by the Toion or Chief of the Oftrog of Karatchin, who having been apprized of their coming, had provided canoes that were better contrived for navigating the higher parts of the river. When they arrived at the Oftrog, they were received at the water-fide, by the Kamtfchadale men and women, and fome Ruffian fervants belong. ing to Fedofitch. They were all dreffed out in their beft clothes. Thofe of the women were pretty and gay, confifting of a full loofe robe, of white nankeen, gathered close round the neck, and faftened with a collar of coloured filk. Over this they wore a fhort jacket, without fleeves, made of different coloured nankeens, and petticoats of a flight Chinese filk. Their shifts, which had fleeves down to the wrifts, were alfo of filk; and coloured filk handkerchiefs were bound round their heads, concealing entirely the hair of the married women, whilft those who were unmarried, brought the handkerchief under the hair, and suffered it to flow loose behind.

This Oftrog,' fays Capt. King, was pleasantly fituated by the fide of the river; and confifted of three log-houfes; three jourts, or houfes made under ground; and nineteen balagans, or fummer habitations. We were conducted to the dwelling of the Toion, who was a plain decent man, born of a Ruffian woman, by a Kamtfchadale father. His houfe, like all the rest in this country, was divided into two apartments. A long narrow table, with a bench round it, was all the furniture we faw in the outer; and the household ftuff of the inner, which was the kitchen, was not lefs fimplę and fcanty. But the kind attention of our hoft, and the hearty welcome we received, more than compenfated for the poverty of his lodgings..

His wife proved an excellent cook ; and ferved us with fish and game of different forts, and various kinds of heath-berries, that had been kept fince the laft year.

Whilft we were at dinner in this miferable hut, the guests of a people, with whofe exiftence we had been fearce acquainted, and at the extremity of the habitable globe, a folitary, half worn-pewter fpoon, whofe fhape was familiar to us, attracted our attention; and on examination, we found it ftamped on the back with the word London. I cannot pafs over this circumftance in filence, out of gratitude for the many pleasant thoughts, the anxious hopes, and tender remembrances it excited in us. Thofe, who have experienced the effects that long abfence and extreme diftance from their native country produce on the mind, will readily conceive the pleafure fuch trifling incidents can give. To

the

1786.

ture.

After the moft hofpitable treatment, during the course of the day, Mr. King and his party, who were now to proceed on fedges, retired to reft, having previously agreed with their conductors to be called up, as foon as the ground was hard enough to bear the fledges. At nine in the evening they were awakened by the melancholy howlings of the dogs, which continued all the time the baggage was lafhing upon the fledges; but, as foon as the dogs were yoked, and they were all prepared to fet out, this changed into a light chearful yelping, which entirely ceased the inftant they march

ed off.

The body of this fledge is about four feet and a half long, and a foot wide, made in the form of a crefcent, of light tough wood, ftrongly bound together with wickerwork; which in thofe belonging to the better fort of people is elegantly ftained of a red and blue colour, and the feat covered with bear-fkins, or other furs. It is fupported by four legs, about two feet high, which reft on two long flat pieces of wood, five or fix inches broad, extending a foot at each end beyond the body of the fledge. These are turned up before in the manner of a skate, and fhod with the bone of fome fea animal. The fore-part of the carriage is ornamented with thongs of leather and taffels of coloured cloth; and from the cross bar, to which the harness is joined, are hung links of iron or finall bells, the jingling of which they conceive to be encou raging to the dog. They are feldom ufed to carry more than one perfon at a time, who fits afide, refting his feet on the lower part of the fledge, and carrying his provifions and other neceffaries, wrapped upin a bundle, behind him. The dogs are ufually five in number, yoked two and two, with a leader. The reins not being fastened to the head of the dogs, but to the collar, have little power over them, and are therefore generally hung upon the fledge, whilft, the driver depends entirely on their obedience to his voice for the direction of them. With this view, the leader is always trained up with a particular degree of care and attention; fome of them rifing to a moft extraordinary value on account of their docility and fteadiness; infomuch, that for one of thefe, I am well affured, forty roubles (orten pounds) was no unusual price. The driver is also provided with a crooked flick, which anfwers the purpose both of whip and reins; as by ftriking it into the fnow, he is enabled to moderate the fpeed of the dogs, or even to top them entirely; and when they are lazy, or

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otherwife inattentive to his voice, he chaftifes them by throwing it at them. Upon thefe occafions, their dexterity in picking it up again is very remarkable, and forms the principal difficulty of their art. But it is indeed not furprifing, that they should labour to be skilful in a practice on which their fafety fo materially depends. For they fay, that if the driver fhould happen to lofe his ftick, the dogs will inftantly perceive it; and unlefs their leader be of the most fober and refolute kind, they will immediately run a-head full fpeed, and never ftop till they are quite fpent. But as that will not be the cafe foon, it generally happens, that either the carriage is overturned, dafhed to pieces against the trees, or they hurry down fome precipice, and are all buried in the fnow. The accounts that were given us of the speed of thefe dogs, and of their extraordinary patience of hunger and fatigue, were fcarcely credible, if they had not been fupported by the heft au thority. We were indeed,' fays Capt. King, ourfelves witneffes of the great expedition with which the messenger, who had been difpatched to Bolcheretik with the news of our arrival, returned to the harbour of St. Peter and St Paul, though the fnow was, at that time, exceedingly foft. But I was informed by the Commander of Kamtfchatka, that this journey was generally performed in two days and a half; and that he had once received an express from the latter place in twenty three hours.

The dogs are fed, during the winter, on the offais of dried and ftinking fifh; but are always deprived even of this miferable food, a day before they fet out on a journey, and never fuffered to eat before they reach the end of it. We were alfo told, that it was ufual for them to continue thus fafting two entire days, in which time they would perform a journey of 120 miles. Thefe dogs are, in fhape, fomewhat like the Pomeranian breed, but confiderably larger.

As we did not choose to trust to our own skill, we had each of us a man to drive and guide the fledge, which from the ftate the roads were now in, proved a very laborious bufinefs. For, as the thaw had advanced very confiderable in the vallies, through which our road lay, we were under the ne

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T E.. Travelling parties are often overtaken with dreadful ftorms of fnow, on the approach of wh ch, they drive, with the ut moj precipitation, into the nearest wood, and there are obliged to stay till the tempeft which frequently lafts fix or feven days is over; the dogs remaining all this while quiet and inoffenfive; except that, fometimes, when preffed by hunger, they will devour their reins, and the other leathern parts of the harness.’

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cers.

ceffity of keeping along the fides of the hills; and this obliged our guides, who were provided with fnowfhoes for that purpose, to fupport the fledges, on the lower fide, with their fhoulders, for feveral miles 'together. I had a very good-humoured Coffack to attend me, who was, however, fo very unfkilful in his business, that we were overturned almost every minute, to the great entertainment of the reft of the company. Our party confifted, in all, of ten sledges. That in which Capt. Gore was carried, was made of two lashed together, and abundantly provided with furs and bear-fkins; it had ten dogs, yoked four abreast; as had alfo fome of those that were heavy laden with baggage.

When we had proceeded about four miles, it began to rain; which added to the darkness of the night, threw us all intò confufion. It was at last agreed, that we should remain, where we were, till day light; and accordingly we came to anchor in the fnow (for I cannot better express the manner in which the fledges were fecured), and wrap ping ourselves up in our furs, waited patiently for the morning. About three o'clock we were called on to fet out, our guides being apprehenfive, that if we waited longer, we might be flopped by the thaw, and neither be able to proceed, nor to return. After encountering many difficulties, which were principally occafioned by the bad condition of the road, at two in the afternoon, we got safe to an Oftrog, called Natcheekin, fituated on the fide of a ftream, which falls into the Bolchoireka, a little way below the town. The distance between Karatchin and Natcheekin is thirty-eight werfts (or twentyfive miles); and had the hard froft continued we fhould not, by their account, have been more than four hours in performing it; but the now was fo foft, that the dogs, almoft at every step, funk up to their bellies; and I was indeed much furprised at their being at all able to overcome the difficulties of fo fatiguing a journey.

At Natcheckin we were received in the fame hofpitable manner, as at Karatchin; and in the afternoon we went to vifit a remarkable hot spring, near this village. We fw, at foine diflance, the team riling from it, as from a boilig caldron; and as we approached, perceived the air had a ftrong lphureous Imell. The main foring forms a baton of about three feet in diameter: beades which, there are a number of leffer Springs, of the faine degree of heat, in the adjacent ground; fo that the whole fpot, to the extent of near an acre, was fo hot, that we could not ftand two minutes in the fame place. The water flowing from thefe fprings is collected in a fmall bathing pond, and afterward forms a little rivulet; which,

at the distance of about an hundred and fifty yards, falls into the river. The bath, they told us, had wrought great cures in feveral diforders, fuch as rheumatisms, fwelled and contracted joints, and fcorbutic ulIn the bathing-place the thermometer ftood at 100°, or blood heat; but in the fpring, after being immerfed two minutes, it was 1° above boiling fpirits. The thermometer in the air, and at this time, was 34°; in the river 40°; and in the Toion's house 64°. The ground where these springs break out, is on a gentle afcent; behind which there is a green hill of a derate fize. I am forry I was not fufficiently skilled in botany to examine the plants, which feemed to thrive here with great luxu riance; the wild garlic, indeed, forced itself on our notice, and was at this time springing up very vigorously.

mo

The remainder of the way they proceeded in canoes up the river Bolchoireka, and on the 12th in the afternoon, arrived at Bolcheretik. They were received on the water-fide, by the Commander, in a manner the most engaging that could be conceived. In company with Major Behm, was Capt. Schmaleff, the fecond in command, and all the merchants of the place. They conducted us,' fays Capt. King, to the Commander's houfe, where we were received by his lady with great civility, and found tea and other refreshments prepared for us, After the first compliments were over, Mr. Webber was desired to acquaint the Major with the object of our journey, with our want of naval ftores, flour, and fresh provifions, and other neceffaries for the fhips crews; and at the fame time to affure him that we were fenfible, from what we had already feen of the country about Awatska Bay, we could not expect much affiftance from him in that quarter; that the impoffibility of fending heavy ftores across the peninfula, during the prefent feafon or the year, was but too apparent, from the difficulties we had met with in our journey; and that, long before any material change could take place, we should be under the neceffity of proceeding on our voyage. We were here interrupted by the Commander, who observed, that we did not yet know what they were capable of doing; that, at least, it was not his bufinefs to think of the difficulties of fupplying our wants, but only to learn what were the articles we flood in need of and the longeft time we could allow him, for procuring them. After expreffing our fenfe of his obliging difpofition, we gave him a lift of the naval ftores, the number of cattle, and the quantity of flour, we were directed to purchase, and told him, that we purpofed recommencing our voyage about the 5th of June.’

Capt.

By

HE numerous focieties for the pro

which have been formed in differents parts of Europe in the course of the laft and prefent centuries, have been not only the means of diffufing knowledge more extenfively, but have contributed to produce a greater number of important discoveries, than have been effected in any other equal fpace of time.

Science, like fire, is put in motion by collifion. --Where a number of men of learning have frequent opportunities of meeting and converfing together, thought begets thought, and every hint is turned to advantage.

A fociety, denominated the Literary and Pbilofopbical Society, has lately been formed at Manchefter, and two volumes of their Memoirs have juft been published. From the Literary Effays in the first volume, we have felected the following; which we hope our readers will not be dilpleased to sec, as it contains obfervations not generally made on a subject very generally ftudied.

THE advocates for the influence of tafte on the moral character have generally confounded that faculty with the moral fenfe. They feem to be perfuaded, that the fame power which difcovers and relishes the beautics of nature and of art, muft equally difcover and relifh the beauty, the order, the harmony, of virtue. Lord Shaftesbury has fully adopted this notion. His difciple Hutchefon, with fome trifling distinctions, has embraced the fame opinion. The very ingenious author of the Elements of Criticism

tells us, that there is a strong and clofe affinity between tafte and the moral fense.

Tafte (fays he) in the fine arts, goes hand in hand with the moral fenfe; to which indeed it is nearly allied.'

This natural connection and close alliance of tafte with the moral fenfe, may, perhaps, be very juftly difputed; as tafte, I appre hend, muft be the joint result of delicate corporeal and intellectual powers; whilft what is ufually understood by a moral fense, muft be of a nature altogether intellectual.

But let us for a moment fuppofe, that fuch an union is really eftablished; and that tafte can take cognizance of the merit or demerit of actions, with the fame ease or precifion that it pronounces on the abilities of the ftatuary or of the painter: will it neceffarily follow, that such a taste muft always be productive of a virtuous conduct? It will not be difputed, that tafte generally operates in fome favourite direction. does not embrace all the beauties of nature or of art with equal relish; nor explore eveand refined, with the fame keennefs of difry science, even of thofe efteemed elegant cernment. The painter is not always poffeffed of an ear finely tuned to mufic; nor

ele

It

gance and vigour of poetical composition.

Nature feldom produces an accomplished mafter, uniefs her efforts have been directed to one particular object. And in vain would be the attempt to rife to excellence in any art or fcience, fave that which is congenial to the taste. Some men, indeed, feem to be poffefled of what may be termed a general tafte, and are capable of at leaft moderate attainments in every branch: But taste, like every other energy, perhaps is weaker in proportion as it is diffufed.

Upon this fuppofition, it is evident a man may have an exquisite tafte for fome particular art or fcience, and yet no tafte for virtue. To this fpecies of beauty the faculty may be fo little fenfible, as to produce no effects. In fuch a cafe, virtue only fhares the fate of many other things which are confeffedly objects of tafte, and which are rejected because the capacity adapted to them is fo weak that it may be faid to be wanting.

But let us fuppofe that taste really exercifes fome of the privileges and powers of the moral sense. The advocates for its practical influence would not gain much by this very ample conceffion. The mere sense of the beauty of virtue (and it is not pretended that any thing further can be the object of tafte) abftracted from every other confideration, will scarcely be thought fufficient to support her caufe. The theory appears more fpecious than folid, more pleasing than efficacious. When dreffed with the

art,