over this business.
It is needless to add, that the religion taught is that of the Greek
church.[82] Schools are likewise established in many of the ostrogs, where
the children of both the natives and Cossacks are gratuitously instructed
in the Russian language. The commerce of this country, as far as concerns
the exports, is entirely confined to furs, and carried on principally by a
company of merchants, instituted by the empress. This company originally
consisted of twelve, and three have been lately added to it. They are
indulged with certain privileges, and distinguished by wearing a golden
medal, as a mark of the empress's encouragement and protection of the fur-
trade. Besides these, there are many inferior traders (particularly of the
Cossacks) scattered through the country. The principal merchants for the
time they are here, reside at Bolcheretsk, or the Nichnei ostrog, in which
two places the trade almost wholly centers. Formerly this commerce was
altogether carried on in the way of barter, but of late years every article
is bought and sold for ready money only; and we were surprised at the
quantity of specie in circulation in so poor a country. The furs sell at a
high price, and the situation and habits of life of the natives call for
few articles in return. Our sailors brought a great number of furs with
them from the coast of America, and were not less astonished than delighted
with the quantity of silver the merchants paid down for them; but on
finding neither gin-shops to resort to, nor tobacco, nor any thing else
that they cared for, to be had for money, the roubles soon became
troublesome companions; and I often observed them kicking about the deck.
The merchant I have already had occasion to mention, gave our men at first
thirty roubles for a sea-otter's skin, and for others in proportion; but
finding that they had considerable quantities to dispose of, and that he
had men to deal with who did not know how to keep up the market, he
afterward bought them for much less.

The articles of importation are principally European, but not confined to
Russian manufactures; many are English and Dutch; several likewise come
from Siberia, Bucharia, the Calmucks, and China. They consist of coarse
woollen and linen clothes, yarn-stockings, bonnets, and gloves; thin
Persian silks; cottons, and pieces of nankeen, silk and cotton
handkerchiefs; brass coppers and pans, iron-stoves, files, guns, powder,
and shot; hardware,