" It is, no doubt, a very natural consequence of such slow
procedure, that, before a building is quite finished, some part of it
falls to pieces. Some persons have suggested the use of bricks in
place of timber, and it seems pretty obvious, from K.'s account, that
this is quite practicable. It may well be doubted, however; if either
the prejudices or the indolence of the people will yield to the
innovation; and much more, indeed, may it be doubted, if the people in
fact will ever require more houses than those which already exist. If
they should, notwithstanding such weighty evidence as has been adduced
to the contrary, the advice which K. has given on the subject, would
deserve the serious consideration of the government.--E.

[88] Spanberg places the island here spoken of in 43 deg. 50' N. latitude, and
mentions his having watered upon it; and that this watering-party
brought off eight of the natives; of whom he relates the following
circumstances: That their bodies were covered all over with hair; that
they wore a loose striped silk gown, reaching as low as their ankles;
and that some of them had silver rings pendant from the ears; that, on
spying a live cock on deck, they fell down on their knees before it;
and likewise, before the presents that were bronght out to them,
closing and stretching forth their hands, and bowing their heads, at
the same time, down to the ground; that, except the peculiarity of
their hairiness, they resemble the other Kurile islanders in their
features and figure, and spoke the same language. The journal of the
ship Castricom also mentions this circumstance, of the inhabitants of
the country discovered by them, and called Jeso, being hairy all over
the body.

[89] This accounts for what Krascheninnikoff says, that he got from
Paramousir a japanned table and vase, a scymeter, and a silver ring,
which he sent to the cabinet of her imperial majesty, at Petersburg.
And if what Mr Steller mentions, on the authority of a Kurile, who was
interpreter to Spanberg in his voyage to Japan, is to be credited,
that nearly the same language is spoken at Kunashir and Paramousir, it
cannot be questioned, that some intercourse has always subsisted
between the inhabitants of this extensive chain of islands.

[90] The vessel here spoken of was from Satsma, a port in Japan, bound for