But we have seen that hitherto little care has been manifested to
prevent its occurrence. The very subject we are now on presents us
with another sample of the gross impolicy, not to speak of inhumanity
or injustice, that has been shewn towards these most valuable people.
The following passage from Krusenstern may be allowed to warrant the
most severe opinion we can possibly form of any government, that could
require such services from _its slaves_. "The necessity of the
Kamtschadales in Kamtschatka is sufficiently proved, by their being
every where the guides through the country, and by their conveying the
mail, which they do likewise, free of expence. In the winter, they are
obliged to conduct travellers and estafettes from one ostrog to
another; they supply the dogs of those who travel with jukulla; they
also lodge the travellers; this, however, they are not obliged to do.
This hospitable people has, of its own accord, engaged to lodge every
traveller, and to feed his dogs, without demanding any remuneration.
In every ostrog there is a supply of fish set apart for this purpose.
In general, the governor and all officers keep dogs, so that in this
respect they are not burthen-some to the Kamtschadales; but a story is
told of a magistrate high in office, having been here a short time
since, who never travelled but in a sledge like a small house, drawn
by an hundred dogs. Besides this, he is said to have journeyed with
such rapidity, that at every station several of these animals
belonging to the Kamtschadales expired, which he never paid for. In
the summer, the Kamtschadale is obliged to be always ready with his
boat to conduct the traveller either up or down the rivers; nor can
the soldier be sent any where without having one of these people for
his guide. Thus it frequently happens that they are absent a fortnight
or more from their ostrog, and lose the best opportunity of providing
themselves with fish for the winter, as, besides the mere act of
taking the fish, it requires several days of fine summer weather to