1822. Джон Дандас Кокрейн.
John Dundas Cochrane
Narrative of a pedestrian journey through Russia and Siberian Tartary, from ...[ch8206]
- 1824
Кокрейн тоже не пишет о памятнике. Его рассказ содержит любопытные соображения на тему «как бы я обустроил Камчатку».

С.71 и след.
St. Peter and St. Paul's, the chief city of the peninsula of Kamtchatka, contains forty-two dwellings, besides fifteen edifices belonging to the government, an old church, and the foundation of a new one. Among the public buildings are to be reckoned magazines for bread, for powder, for sailors, for convicts, for wine, and for arms; a guard-house, smithy, hospital, chancery, school, and a building for the chief and his assistant. All, however, with the exception of the hospital, sailors' barracks, and school, are at best, like the rest of the city, but emblems of misery and wretchedness. I have never seen even on the banks of the Frozen Sea so contemptible a place, hardly meriting the name of a village, much less that of a city; yet such is the place which has been so eulogized from one end of the world to the other. The erection of hospitals, of schools, of churches, and the diffusion of happiness and knowledge, have been extravagantly vaunted of in magazines and reviews, in defiance of the most lamentable facts of a very opposite description.
I cannot imagine what a governor has to do in such a place; a civil commissary would surely have been enough. The only people, in my opinion, who can be called happy, are the Koriaks, because they are independent. The Russians complain of being sent to such a vile place, utterly destitute of society; the Creoles of their being kept in a state of poverty; while the Kamtchatdales bitterly lament the association with either the one or the other. It has been observed that St. Peter and St. Paul's can never be a good town, owing to its want of wood. It may be asked, why then was the seat of government removed from a more eligible place, Nishney Kamtchatsk, or why was it not removed to the centre of agriculture and population, so far as either can be said to exist? It has been already changed three times, and is, I believe, destined to another removal. Kamtchatka neither can nor will thrive so long as its chiefs are sent for five years only: such a short period scarcely allows them the time of doing good, however well-disposed they may be. The general mode of occupying the allotted term may be thus described. The first year is employed in looking about and forming plans for the improvement of the country, the amelioration of the condition of the aborigines, &c.: the second year is passed in making reports, stating opinions, &c.: the third year brings the reply of the government, directing or authorizing the mode of administration: the fourth is employed in preparing, or, at most, in acting upon such orders: while the fifth and last year is generally employed in preparing to return to Europe, and levying a parting contribution: -and thus the whole five years are, more or less, taken up in trading and accumulating as much money as possible. The very shortest term of a chief's command at Kamtchatka should be ten years: let him then only be liberally paid, and I will venture to say, that many suitable characters will be found, who will prefer to administer justice with clemency and honour, to the degrading of their characters by a mean and derogatory traffic. If an increase of rank, double pay and provisions, an extra pension, and the most unlimited powers are not sufficient to ensure a just discharge of the duties, what besides conscience ever can induce it ?
Свв. Петр и Павел, главный город полуострова Камчатка, имеет сорок два жилых дома, помимо пятнадцати зданий, принадлежащих правительству, также старой церкви и недостроенной новой. Среди общественных зданий следует назвать склады хлебный, пороховой, винный и оружейный, помещения для моряков, для преступников; гауптвахта, кузница, больница, канцелярия, школа и дом для начальника и его помощника. Однако все это, за исключением больницы, моряцких бараков и школы, лишь олицетворяет страдание и нищету, как и весь город. Я никогда не видел, даже на берегу Студеного Моря, столь презренного места, с трудом заслуживающего называться деревней, не то что городом; но именно таково оказалось поселение, столь восхваленное от края и до края мира. Постройка больниц, школ, церквей и распространение благоденствия и знаний неумеренно превозносились в журналах и газетах, вопреки печальной правде совершенно противоположного свойства.
Я не могу вообразить, что делать губернатору в таком месте, где, несомненно, хватило бы полномочного гражданского представителя. Единственные, по-моему, люди, кого можно назвать счастливыми, это коряки, потому что они независимы. Русские жалуются на судьбу, закинувшую их в такое мерзкое место, совершенно лишенное общества; креолы - на беспросветную бедность; камчадалы же горюют по поводу тесного соседства с теми и другими. Давно замечено, что Свв. Петру и Павлу никогда не бывать хорошим городом, вследствие недостатка строительного леса. Спрашивается, почему тогда резиденцию правительства не оставили в более достойном месте, Нижнекамчатске, или почему не перенесли туда, где сосредоточено сельского хозяйство и население, раз уж такие места, как говорят, существуют? Резиденцию меняли уже три раза, и, полагаю, должны еще раз перенести. Камчатка не может и не будет процветать, пока начальников присылают всего на пять лет: столь короткий срок едва ли дает им возможность совершить добрые дела, на которые они способны. Распределяются это время примерно следующим образом. Первый год уходит, чтбы осмотреться и прикинуть планы по усовершенствованию страны, улучшению жизни аборигенов и т.п.; второй год уходит на рапорты и заявки; третий год приносит ответ правительства с инструкциями и рекомендациями по управлению; четвертый посвящен подготовке или, максимум, началу проведения в жизнь этих инструкций; тогда как пятый и последний год пробегает в подготовке возвращения в Европу и сборе себе "приданого" - таким образом, все пять лет, в большей или меньшей степени, заняты добычей и накоплением максимального количества денег. Наименьший срок службы начальника на Камчатке должен составлять десять лет: пусть его труд будет достойно оплачен, и я рискну заверить, что найдется немало подходящих личностей, кто предпочтет править дела с милосердием и честью, нежели скатываться в унизительную скаредную торговлю. Если продвижение в ранге, двойная оплата и обеспечение, дополнительная пенсия и неограниченность большинства полномочий - если всего этого недостаточно, чтобы гарантировать честное исполнение долга, то что, помимо совести, может побудить к этому?
Of the Kurile Islands, though they are not now in the government of Kamtchatka, having been ceded by the Emperor in property to the American Company, I shall make but a very few remarks, and with them close my observations on Kamtchatka.

This chain of islands is divided between the Russian and Japanese empires; of those belonging to the former empire, but few are inhabited. The first Kurile, situate at sixty-five miles from Cape Lopatka, has three yourtes, with four males and eight females, nominally paying as tribute six sea-otters and twelve roubles in money ; but, as no sea-otters are found, and the islands abound in foxes, seven of these are received in lieu of them. There is in the island a tolerable roadstead for small craft on the N.W. side. Immense quantities of water-fowl, as ducks, geese, and swans, frequent the place; and from the skins and feathers the inhabitants make their parkas and all their warm clothing, which are also exceedingly comfortable and beautiful. The climate of the islands resembles that of St. Peter and St. Paul's. The soil is generally good, producing fine pastures. On the first isle there was formerly an abundance of cattle, but now only two cows remain.
The second island, about ninety miles from the first, has seven yourtes, with thirty-five males and forty-two females, paying tribute for itself and the fourteenth isle, nominally, thirty-five sea otters ; that is, twenty-three foxes and one hundred and fifty roubles. The fourteenth isle has three yourtes, fifteen males and seventeen females. Of the intermediate islands, and those beyond the fourteenth, I could obtain but very little information ; the whole are evidently volcanic productions, and are supposed to have been separated by some violent convulsion of nature from the peninsula of Kamtchatka. The islands, which are lofty and bold, are said to be without rivers, nor are there any harbours known. It is to be remembered, however, that they have been but very imperfectly surveyed. The inhabitants are supposed to be of the same origin as those of Kamtchatka, though they differ in the custom of wearing long beards, which was probably introduced among them by the Russians. Their dialect is the same with that of the inhabitants near Cape Lopatka; from whence baidares are frequently sent to the first and second isle, to bring the tribute and furs. Foxes are said to be the only animals of the chase, and here they abound in all colours. Sea-otters were also formerly taken, and still, at intervals, visit some of the islands. Excepting those caught near Nishney Kamtchatsk, they are considered the most valuable of the species.
CHAPTER XII.
Departure from Kamtchatka - Re-arrival at Okotsk - Further Observations on that place-Bulgeinc - The Udoma – Outchakan – Anchekon - Atchan and Konkui Rivers - Chornoi Lass – Chakdalka - Chekinvio - The Aldan, Amgha, and Lena Rivers - Re-arrival at Yakutsk-General Observation on the Yakuti, and of their Metropolis.

I remained in Kamtchatka eleven months enjoying that hospitality and kindness which the chief, Captain Rikord, so eminently possesses the means and manner of conferring. The vessel in which we prepared to return to Okotsk, was the same which brought me to Kamtchatka; but although she was ready in June, it was not until the 5th of July, 1822, that the anchor was weighed, and with a light northern breeze we bade adieu to Kamtchatka. As we steered along shore, the coast offered a lively verdant appearance, no snow being visible except on the elevated peaks. In five days we reached the latitude of Cape Lopatka, bearing West ten leagues. At the close of the day, when thus situated, and with a light air from the S.E., the sky assumed an unusual fiery red, while the beautiful tinge on the dark fleeting clouds presented a most sublime aspect, though it evidently foreboded something awful. The constant changes in the appearance of the heavens over the high lands of Kamtchatka and the islands, reminded us of an aurora borealis, as this, as in the real aurora, had its fiery meteors moving about. By midnight the wind veered to S.W. by W. and ultimately settled in a heavy gale from the N.W. the last being the scene of the most glowing part of the sky. An immense cloud of smoke had also been visible for a couple of days in the N.N.W. direction. Before our arrival at Okotsk it had been ascertained that a great part of the immense forests north of the bay of Avatcha had been destroyed, and that a severe concussion of the earth had taken place upon the day of the gale. Fortunately for us it was an off-shore wind, or our destruction would have teen inevitable…