[87] Krusenstern's description of the houses and their contents is exactly in proportion to the other parts of his very unfavourable report. Even of two of them, which he says are the very ornament of Kamtschatka, the furniture is represented as most wretchedly deficient. "That of the anti-room consisted merely of a wooden stool, a table, and two or three broken chairs. There was neither earthen-ware nor porcelain table-service; no glasses, decanters, nor any thing else of a similar nature; two or three tea-cups, one glass, a few broken knives and forks, and some pewter spoons, constituted the wealth of the good people (two artillery officers) who were both married. But what most of all distressed me, was the condition of their windows; they had not double sashes, which, in a cold climate, are as necessary to health as to comfort; but such even as they had, were in a very wretched condition. The panes were of glass, but notwithstanding their extreme smallness, they were all of them broken, and made of pieces fitted together. They afforded no protection against the snow and frost; and I could not, without feelings of commiseration, behold the children, who, in no part of the world, are brought up so wretchedly as here." If such were the condition of the best houses, we shall have little reason, for the sake of any pleasure at least, to make any enquiry as to those of an inferior kind, belonging to the other inhabitants. It is perhaps enough then to say in general terms, that they are all ill built, that they are so low, as to be entirely covered up with snow during the winter, and that in consequence of this circumstance, they are throughout that period completely deprived of the fresh air, to which want, and to the badness of their provisions, it is unquestionably with perfect truth that K. ascribes the pallid hue of all the inhabitants, even, as he adds, of the youngest females. The construction of a house at St Peter and St Paul, we are further told, is very expensive, as there is no suitable timber in the neighbourhood of the town, and the people are consequently necessitated to bring it from the interior. It is in this manner that thirty or forty soldiers are employed, when any public building is to be erected. They are sent out under the command of an officer, and for several weeks, during which time, and at imminent risk, they fell the timber, and float it down the rivers. Thus says K., "the whole garrison of Kamtschatka had been occupied during two years in building some barracks for ten or twelve men, nor were they even then completed; and the church, on which they had been several years employed, was in the same predicament!" 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.