clothes they never wash, and on this account they are very different from the Japanese. As polygamy is allowed among these wretched beings, some have two or three wives, and the elders still a greater number; and if an elder governs several villages, he has a wife in each of them. Their children learn nothing but hunting, fishing, the use of the bow, and their domestic labours. Having no writing, every thing is handed down by tradition. To salute any one, they place both hands to the face with outspread fingers, let them sink slowly on the beard, and, bending the head a little, look the person, for whom the compliment is intended, full in the face, and repeat it two or even three times, to any distinguished character. The total absence of words of abuse in their language, is urged as a proof of the mildness of their manners. Anger seldom induces them to call another a worse name than clumsy or awkward fellow; fool is the next epithet; but the very worst persons among them, they call a dog. It is only upon very extraordinary provocations that they make use of any words that have been introduced among them by the Russians. The Ainu have countenances by no means cheerful; however, they like singing and dancing: the first is disagreeable enough, and the latter consists, in a great measure, of contortions of the body. They are also much attached to strong liquors and tobacco; but neither the Japanese nor the Russians, supply them with any large quantities of inebriating spirits. These islanders, like their neighbours in Japan, sit cross-legged. The sun and moon have been the earliest objects of their devotions but their poverty seems to have prevented them from having either temples or priests. They appear to believe in two spirits, one good and the other evil; and invoke the first by a bundle of pulse, which they place upon their dwellings: but they are Tso indifferent about their belief, that it was long be AMERICA. X fore the Japanese could tell whether they had any or none. The greatest benefits that the Japanese derive from their possession of the southern Kurile Islands and Sagaleen, are derived from their productive fishery. Great abundance of herrings, cod, mackerel, and other fish of the salmon kind, are caught on the coast. The sea animals consist of whales, sea hogs, sea lions, sea bears, sea otters, and seals. Shell fish and sea cabbage are also collected in great quantities. Among the shell fish, there is a kind called Budarki, much esteemed by the lovers of the fair sex among the Japanese, Chinese, and Coreans, and, of course, sold at a high price. The woods of Matsmai abound with oaks, firs, yew, the tree called the scented tree, or a kind of cypress, with birch, limes, various poplars, maple, aspen, mountain ash, &c. The Japanese call the island of Sagaleen, Karafta, because it is so named by the natives; but here they had no settlement till the arrival of La Peyrouse; this navigator appearing on their coasts with two frigates, the Japanese took possession of the south part of Sagaleen, for fear the Europeans should settle there, and then representing their apprehensions to the Chinese, if the Europeans should ever become their neighbours, the two nations accordingly took possession of it. Since then, the north part belongs to the Chinese, and the south to the Japanese. The best passage through the Kurile Islands, has been described by M. Dawidoff. "Sailing through the third Kurile straits," he says, 66 no better passage can be chosen than this. It is every where equally deep, and about twenty English miles broad. On the south-west end of Paramuscher is a high mountain, and near it is the island of Schirinki, which resembles a haystack. Farther off is seen the island of Alait, first appearing as you come from the west side. On Onekotan there are two mountains like sugar-loaves; westward from this lies Mankaruschi. Here are also two natural phenomena in these seas. The first, called Suloy, is caused by the ebb and flow of the sea between the Aleutian islands, and appears to resemble Portland Race, or the Ras de Marée, to the leeward of the Antilles. The other is less known, and more extraordinary: this is a sudden swell of the sea, which rises in very high waves above the hidden rocks, called Potaincki. On these sudden rises, the people say, "the Potainik is playing." As this often occurs during a complete calm, it is very dangerous to the boats; but those Potainiks play once, sometimes twice a day; others once a month, and some not more than once in the whole year. During a strong wind, the sea runs very high over the rocks, but if canoes come upon them just as the rise which has been described takes place, they are sure to go down. The Americans are so well acquainted with them, that they generally avoid them. CHAP. XI. Mr. Mawe's Destination-Agriculture-Large Estates-Population-Beautiful Island of St. Catharine-Santos-The Mines-Diamonds-Rio Janeiro-Serra da Frio-Marks of Wretchedness- -Capital of the Diamond District-Modes of Washing Gold-Negroes rewarded-Mitigation of Slavery unexampled. MR. MAWE, in 1804, undertook a voyage of commercial experiment in the Rio de la Plata. His destination was, in the first place, to Buenos Ayres; but the master of the vessel, ignorant of the navigation of those seas, put into the Bay of Monte Video, where, being an Englishman, he was detained a con |