USA > Alaska > History of Alaska : 1730-1885 > Part 23
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Without imagining himself in the mouth of a river, Cook pushed forward until stopped by shoals, which to his dismay extended in every direction but that from which he had come. After a brief interview
29 Cook also mentions that they did not understand the language of the natives of Prince William Sound, and that one of them wore a black cloth jacket and green breeches. Cook's Voy., ii. 417.
30 Here Lieutenant Williamson was sent ashore to ascend a mountain and obtain a view. He saw no land, except in the north, and after taking formal possession returned to the ship. Cook gave the name Bristol Bay to the whole bend of the coast betwen Unimak Island and the cape just discovered. Voy., ii. 430-4.
HIST. ALASKA. 14
210
OFFICIAL EXPLORATIONS.
with some natives, who also were found in posses- sion of iron knives, all haste was made to extricate the vessel from the network of shoals. At last, on the 28th, the soundings made a westerly course possible, which was on the following day changed to the north- ward, and on the 3d of August land was made again, and the ships anchored between an island and the main. The former was named Sledge Island, from a wooden sledge with bone runners found upon it. The next discovery, named King Island, was made on the 7th, and at last, on the 9th, the western extremity of the American continent lay elearly before them, the coast beyond receding so far to the eastward as to leave no room for doubt.81
After a brisk run across to the coast of Asia the ships returned to the Alaskan shore and located Icy Cape, the eastern limit of the arctic cruise, Cape Mul- grave, and Cape Lisburne, but ice barred further prog- ress on the American coast as well as on that of Asia. On the 29th Cook named Cape North and concluded to return southward, postponing a further examination of the Polar Sea for another season- which never came for him. On the evening of the 2d of September the ships passed East Cape. The fol- lowing day St Lawrence Bay was revisited and ex- amined,32 and on the 5th the ships were again headed for the American coast. During the following day Norton Sound was entered and names were applied to Cape Derby, at the entrance of Goloni Bay, and Cape Denbigh.
Cook remained in this sound until the 17th of Sep- tember in order to fully ascertain the fact of his being then on the coast of the American continent and not on the fabulous island of " Alaschka" represented
31 Cook's Voy., ii. 444.
32 The editor of Cook's Voyage, in vol. ii. 473, comments upon the curious coincidence that Bering passed between St Lawrence Bay and St Lawrence Island on August 10, 1728, and 50 years later, on August 10, 1778, Cook passed the same spot, naming the bay after the patron saint of that day in the calendar. Due allowance for the difference between dates in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, however, spoils this nice little 'coincidence.'
211
JOHN LEDYARD IN ALASKA.
upon Stæhlin's map of the New Northern Archipelago. Captain King had been intrusted with the examina- tion of Norton Bay, the only point where the existence of a channel was at all probable.33
On leaving Norton Sound it was Cook's intention to steer directly south in order to survey the coast inter- vening between his last discovery and the point he had named Shoalness on the Kuskokvim; but the shallow- ness of that part of Bering Sea compelled him to run far to the westward, and prevented him from seeing anything of the Yukon mouth, and the low country between that river and the Kuskokvim, and the island of Nunivak. 34 After obtaining another sight of St Lawrence Island, which he named Clark, Cook steered south-south-west and on the 23d sighted St Matthew Island, which he named Gore. 35
On the 2d of October Unalaska was sighted, and passing Kalekhtah Bay, called Egoochshac by Cook, the two ships anchored in Samghanooda Bay on the 3d of October. Both vessels were at once overhauled by the carpenters for necessary repairs, and a portion of the cargo was landed for the purpose of restowing.36
33 Cook's Voy., ii. 482-3. I find that Captain Cook makes mention of the fact that one of the natives inquired for him by the title of 'capitane,' which he considers a case of misunderstanding. It is, however, not at all improbable that the Russian word kapitan had been preserved among the natives of the vicinity of Bering Strait since Bering's and Gvozdef's time.
3+ Cook supposed, however, the existence of a large river in that vicinity, as the water was comparatively fresh and very muddy. Cook's Voy., ii. 491.
35 Cook claims to have seen sea-otters here, but was probably mistaken, for this animal was never found there by subsequent visitors, and the place being uninhabited, there was nothing to drive them away. The Pribylof group were the northernmost point from which sea-otters were ever procured, and there they became quickly exterminated.
36 During a visit of Mr Ivan Petrof to Samghanooda Bay on the 3d of October 1878, the 100th anniversary of Cook's landing, he obtained from the natives a few traditions relative to Cook's visit. One old chief stated that his father had told him of two English ships that had anchored in Samgha- nooda, which is now known as 'English Bukhta.' The time of their stay had been somewhat lengthened in transmittal from father to son, for it was claimed that the ships wintered there, that the people caught fish and killed seals for the visitors, and that several of them 'kept native women with thein.' See Cook's Voy., ii. 521. The old chief also stated that the 'English' had built houses and pointed out a spot where an excavation had evidently been made long years ago. This last report referred of course only to some tem- porary shelter for protecting the landed cargo. The same man pointed out to Mr Petrof the position in which the ships had been moored, according
212
OFFICIAL EXPLORATIONS.
While the ship's companies were engaged in water- ing, repairing, fishing, and gathering berries as an anti-scorbutic, a messenger arrived on the 8th with a note written in Russian for the commander of each vessel, and a gift, consisting of a salmon pie, baked of rye-meal. There was no one able to read the notes, but, being now sure that some Russians resided in the immediate vicinity, Cook caused a suitable return to be made in the shape of sundry bottles of liquor. Cor- poral John Ledyard was sent with the returning messenger to find the Russians, invite them to the anchorage, and obtain all available information con- cerning their discoveries in American waters.37
Ledyard's experience on this occasion has been de- scribed by himself and transmitted to posterity by his biographer. He succeeded in his mission, passed a few days at the settlement of Illiuliuk, and brought back three Russian hunters, who were well received, and who freely imparted such information as could be conveyed by signs and numerals.38 They promised to
to the recollection of his father, a position which agreed exactly with that indicated on Cook's chart of Samghanooda, which the chief certainly never had seen.
37 Cook's Voy., ii. 495. Cook merely says that he sent Ledyard, but in Sparks' Life of Ledyard, 79-80, it is claimed that he volunteered and thereby relieved Cook from the dilemma of selecting an officer for such a 'dangerous' expedition. The present of bread was in accordance with an ancient Russian custom, still observed, of presenting bread and salt to new arrivals in a town, dwelling, or neighborhood, emblematic of the wish that the recipient might never want for the necessaries of life. Among the wealthy the most elabo- rate confectionery and silver or gold receptacles take the place of bread and salt on such occasions.
38 Ledyard's narrative of this excursion seems to me somewhat highly col- ored, though evidently written in good faith. The man was 'sensational ' by nature. His native guides evidently did not take him to his destination by the shortest route. There is and was at that time an easy path only 12 miles in length from the head of Samghanooda Bay to Captain Harbor, where lay the Russian settlement. Ledyard was made to walk ' 15 miles into the interior ' on the first day, to a native village, where he passed the night, and where 'a young woman seemed very busy to please ' him, and on the following day he again walked until three hours before dark ere reaching Captain Harbor, which he called 'four leagues over.' It is about five miles. The distance he claims to have walked after this was measured by 'tired and swollen feet,' but finally he was carried across to the settlement, squeezed into the ' hole ' of a two-hatch bidarka. He was hospitably entertained after due exchange of civilities and delivery of Cook's presents. The next morning the repellent odors of a matutinal meal composed of 'whale, sea-horse, and bear' upset Ledyard's stomach, though bears and walruses are unknown in Unalaska. The weather
213
INTERCOURSE WITH RUSSIANS.
bring a map showing all the Russian discoveries. On the 14th the commander of the Russian expedition in this quarter arrived from a journey and landed near Samghanooda. His name was Gerassim Grigorovich Ismaïlof.39
The usual civilities were exchanged and Cook had every opportunity of questioning his visitor, but it is evident that the advantage was with the Russian, who learned from the Englishman what was of the utmost importance to the Siberian merchants, while he told what he chose, holding back much information in his possession, for instance the visit of Polutof to Kadiak in 1776 and the long residence at Unimak Strait of
being bad he remained another day and examined the settlement, counting thirty Russians and seventy Kamchatkans. He also visited a small sloop of 30 tons, lying near the village, and thus describes his feelings on that occa- sion: ' It is natural to an ingenuous mind, when it enters a town, a house, or ship, that has been rendered famous by any particular event, to feel the full force of that pleasure, which results from gratifying a noble curiosity. I was no sooner informed that this sloop was the same in which the famous Bering had performed those discoveries which did him so much honor, and his country so much service, than I was determined to go on board of her and indulge in the generous feelings the occasion inspired.' He remained an hour, enjoying himself, I trust, without the slightest suspicion of the fact that the craft he had in his mind had been broken up on Bering Island, and that the sloop constructed from the remains was at that time lying fathoms deep under the surface on the Asiatic shore. The sentimental Yankee returned to the ships in less than one day. Sparks' Life of Ledyard, S5-90.
3º The report given by Ismaïlof of Cook's visit was received by Major Behm, commander of Kamchatka in April 1779. The document simply stated that two English ships had anchored on the north side of Unalaska; that he (Ismaïlof) had rendered the visitors every assistance in obtaining food and water, and that they had communicated by signs only, owing to his ignorance of the English language. Sgibnef, in Morskoi Sbornik, ciii. 7, 21. Ismaïlof evidently took a more sensible view of Cook's expedition than did the author- ities in Kamchatka. At the time of the presence of the two ships in Avatcha Bay, Behm was on the point of leaving for Irkutsk, but in view of the ' critical condition of the country' he consented to remain at the head of affairs. The general impression was, that the vessels had come at the instigation of Ben- yovski with hostile intent. A deputation of men not connected with the public service was first sent to meet the strangers, probably to 'draw fire,' consisting of Behm's servant, a merchant, and a clerk. At the same time runners and messengers were despatched to all the forts and ostrogs to put the garrisons upon their guard. The subsequent friendly intercourse with the strangers was carried on under constant apprehension. The desired sup- plies were furnished free of charge, because, as Shmalef wrote, 'the high price we must have asked would have incensed them.' Shmalef never be- lieved in the scientific objects of the expedition and urged the forwarding of reinforcements. The presents of curiosities made to Behm were all by him transmitted to the imperial academy, in order to purge himself of all suspicion of having been bribed by the enemy. Syibnef, in Morskoi Sbornik, ciii. 7, 22-6.
214
OFFICIAL EXPLORATIONS.
Zaïkof, who was even then at Umnak, close by. The corrected map of the islands shown to Cook was probably the work of this same Potap Zaïkof.40 The most important correction he received for his own work was the existence of the island of Unimak, which had been laid down on Cook's chart as part of the continent. Ismaïlof remained near Samghanooda until the 21st of October, and on his departure was intrusted with despatches for the lords commissioners of the British admiralty which he promised to for- ward the following spring to Okhotsk and thence to St Petersburg by way of Siberia.
Another intelligent Russian whom Cook mentioned in his journal was Yakof Ivanovich Saposhnikof, in command of a vessel then lying at Unga.41
The accompanying reproduction of the chart show- ing Cook's discoveries and surveys as far as they fall within the scope of this volume will convey an ade- quate idea of how much we owe to this eminent navi- gator.
On the 26th of October, after a sojourn of twenty- three days, the Resolution and Discovery sailed from Samghanooda Harbor for the Hawaiian Islands, where the gallant commander was to end his explora- tion and his life.
In the following year the expedition returned to Kamchatka under command of Captain Clarke, next to Cook in rank, and thence proceeded to explore beyond Bering Strait for a north-east passage to the Atlantic. After reaching latitude 70° 33' near the American coast the vessels were obliged by ice to turn back. The conclusion arrived at was that no passage existed south of latitude 65°, and that it must
40 With reference to a Russian note received on board the Discovery in the vicinity of the Shumagin Islands, Cook understood Ismaïlof to say that it had been written at Umnak, but it is safe to assume that he said the writer was then at Umnak, and that Zaïkof had extended his explorations to the Shumagin. Cook's Voy., ii. 490.
41 Berg mentions the sloop named Pavel, or St Paul, commanded by the matross (sailor) Saposlinikof, which returned to Okhotsk in 1780. Khronol. Ist., Table i.
215
Shoal Water
VOLCANO Cook's River
P.Possession Printer
Williuns
LESOCHinchinbroke
Comptrollers Bay C.Suckling
Behrings Bay
KAYES:IL
GREEN 19.00
MONTAGU I.
Mt.Fairweather C.Fairweather
C.Douglas
BARREN IS
Bristol R. Smoky Bay
Pt.Banks
Whitsunude Bay C Whitsunday
Bay of Islands-t Mt.
C.EdgecumberEdgecumbe
C.Greenville
Two Headed Pt.
Pinnacle Ptº.
C.Trinity
Foggy Cape LaTRINITY F.
ALASK
A FOGGY I.
DONEEMAK Rocks
UP.
SCHUMAGINS KODIAK ISLES
ÉSHALIBUT IS.
V
AMOGATA DOMANAK
IDONALASKA
&C. Providence
1
I
I
C
COOK'S VOYAGE-SOUTHERN SECTION.
THE CHART.
FORES I C. Upright PINNACLES 1.
R.Turnagain
Mount St.Elias
Shoal Ness
C.Newenhams
Calm/Pt.
C.Elizabeth
Cross Sound
Cross Cape
ROUND I
J.S. HERMOGENES
C.Bede
Anchor Pt:
216
OFFICIAL EXPLORATIONS.
be sought north of Bering Strait, beyond Icy Cape, leading probably to Baffin Bay; yet it would be mad- ness to attempt the passage during the short time the route might be free from ice. Hardly less hopeful appeared the prospect for sailing westward along the northern coast of Siberia. The sea nearer the pole would probably be less obstructed by ice. Clarke
Icy
Cape
C. North
Cape Lisburn
{ BARNEYS !.
C.Mulgrave
C.Serdze Kamen
TSCHUTSKI
------
B.of St.Lawrence
DC.Prince of Wales
smadir
C.Tshukutskoi)
KINGS
C.Rodney
Norton Sound Bald-head"
SLEDGE I.
-C.Den-
abigh
I.ST. LAWRENCE
BES BOROUGH I.
ECLERKES I.
STEWARTS SC.Stephens
JANDERSONS ISLE
"Point Shallow- water
COOK'S VOYAGE-NORTHERN SECTION.
died August 22d, as the vessels approached Petro- pavlovsk, and here he was buried. Captain Gore took the expedition home by way of Japan, China, and Cape of Good Hope. While in China several small lots of sea-otter skins were disposed of by men and officers at prices which seemed fabulous, and the
Strait
Arctic Circle
East Cape
Gulf of
Bering
C.Darby
217
ANOTHER SPANISH EXPEDITION.
excitement created by this success resulted in quite a rush of vessels to the Northwest Coast, and a brisk competition sprang up with Russians in the purchase of furs there and in their sale in China. 42
In 1776 orders were issued in Spain to fit out another expedition to the north, to continue and com- plete the discoveries of Cuadra made the previous year, but the execution of the plan was delayed, and not until February 11, 1779, did two vessels, the Princesa and the Favorita, sail from San Blas, with Lieutenant Ignacio Arteaga in command, and Cuadra as second.43
On the 28th of April the expedition, which had orders to attain a latitude of 70°, found itself in lati- tude 54° 45', and on the 2d of May the vessels entered Bucareli Sound, Arteaga anchoring in a sheltered bay on the south side, which he named Santa Cruz, and Cuadra exploring the north side of the sound, but finally joining his commander in the Puerto de Santa Cruz on the 5th. As soon as Cuadra had re- ported to Arteaga for orders, it was resolved to fit out an expedition of two boats for a thorough explora- tion of the interior of the sound. The crews of both vessels were constantly employed in, preparing the boats, supplying wood and water, and assisting the officers in their astronomical observations. On the 13th a solemn mass was celebrated on shore, with accompaniment of music and artillery, a cross was
42 Captain King, who wrote the last volume of Cook's Voyage, pointed out the advantages of this trade, and suggested methods to be observed therein. Cook's Voy., iii. 430-8.
43 See Hist. Northwest Coast, passim, this series. Also, Arteaga, Tercera exploracion hecha el año 1779 con las Fragatas del rey, 'la Princesa,' mandada por el teniente de navío don Ignacio Arteaga, y la ' Favorita' por el de la misma clase don Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Cuadra, desde el puerto de San Blas hasta los sesenta y un grados de latitud, in Viages al Norte de Cal., MS., No. 4; Maurelle, Navegacion hecha por el Alférez de Fragata de la Real Armada Don Francisco Antonio Maurelle destinado de segundo capitan de la Fragata ' Favo- rita,' Id., MS., No. 5. Bodega y Cuadra, Segunda salida hasta los 61 grados en la Fragata ' Nuestra Señora de los Remedios,' alius la 'Favorita,' Año de 1779, MS., id., No. 6}; Bodega y Cuadra, Navegacion y descubrimientos hechos de orden de S. M. en la Costa septentrional de California, 1779, in Mayer, MSS., No. 13.
218
OFFICIAL EXPLORATIONS.
erected in a prominent place, and under waving of flags and salvos of musketry the country was taken possession of in the name of the king, the savages gazing stolidly at this insanity of civilization.
On the 18th the two boats sailed from the bahía de la Santísima Cruz, with a complement of five offi- cers, four soldiers, and twenty-four sailors. They were provisioned for eighteen days. The result of the expedition was the earliest and best survey ever made of the most important harbor of Prince of Wales Island. 44
During the absence of the boats on this errand the natives gathered in numbers about the ships in the bahía de la Santísima Cruz. The strict orders of the commander to avoid a conflict, and to ignore small thefts, soon worked its evil effect upon these children of nature, who could not understand leniency or un- willingness to punish robbery and to recover losses, unless it was based upon weakness or lack of courage. Working parties on the shore were molested to such an extent that it became necessary to surround them with a cordon of sentries only five paces apart, and sailors were robbed of their clothes while washing them. Under these circumstances the return of the lanchas with their crews was hailed with joy; but by by this time over eighty canoes manned by a thousand savages were in the bay and great caution was neces- sary to avoid hostilities. Even the firing of cannon did not seem to frighten the Indians, and when a
" The officers were Francisco Maurelle, José Camacho, Juan Bautista Aguirre, Juan Pantojo, and Juan García. The armament consisted of 8 fal- conets and 20 muskets, with 25 rounds of ammunition for each. They pro- ceeded first to the south-western point, San Bartolomé, of the entrance to the sound, and then around the western shore, carefully sounding and locating bays, islets, and points. The names applied were very numerous, the most important being as follows: puerto de San Antonio, puerto de la Asuncion; the islands San Ignacio and Santa Rita; puerto de la Real Marina; canal de Portillo; bahía de Esquivel; canal de San Cristóbal; the islands of San Fer- nando and San Juan Bautista; boca del Almirante; bahía de San Alberto; puerto del Bagial; puerto de San Nicolás; the caños del Trocadero; the island of Madre de Dios; puerto de la Caldera; puerto de la Estrella; puerto del Refugio-which was subsequently found to be a passage-and the puerto de los Dolores.
219
NEW NAMINGS.
canoe was struck by a ball and the inmates fell, the effect was only temporary. Arteaga seized a chief in order to obtain the return of two sailors who had been reported as held captive in the native village, but it was found that the Spaniards had voluntarily joined the savages with the intention to desert.45
During the last days of June the two ships were moved across the sound to the bay of San Antonio, and thence they finally sailed the Ist of July, taking a north-westerly course along the coast. Mount St Elias was sighted on the 9th,46 and a few days later Kaye, or Kyak, Island was named Cármen. The next anchorage, probably Nuchek Bay, was named Puerto de Santiago, and a boat expedition went to ascertain whether the land was connected with the continent. The officer in charge reported that he had convinced himself that it was an island.47 The usual forms of taking possession were observed, being the third ceremony of the kind performed upon nearly the same ground within a year-by Cook in 1778, by a party of Zaïkof's men, who had been despatched in a bidar from Cook Inlet, in June 1779, and again by Arteaga. Cuadra, in his journal, expressed the con- viction that a large river must enter the sea between Cármen Island and the harbor of Santiago, thus cor- rectly locating Copper River, which both Cook and Vancouver failed to observe.48
45 With the avowed object of 'gaining a better knowledge of the people and their customs,' Arteaga sanctioned the purchase of five children. Two girls, aged respectively seven and eight years, were taken on board the Princesa, and the boys, between five and ten, on the Favorita. Tercera Explo- racion, in Viages al Norte, MS., etc., 111.
46 Alluded to as Cape St Elias in the journal, 'Ygualmente tenian á la vista el elevado promontorio de San Elias sobre las nubes, presentándose en forma de un pan de azúcar ;' but it is doubtful what point or mountain this was, for the ships were at a great distance from the shore. Tercera Expl., in Viages al Norte, MS., etc. 113.
47 If this was really Nuchek, or Hinchinbrook Island, the Spaniards antici- pated Vancouver's discovery of the fact by 14 years. Tercera Expl., in Viages al Norte, MS., 116-17. During this boat expedition many canoes of the natives were seen, and on one of them a flag was displayed showing the colors red, white, and blue.
48 Arteaga, while at this anchorage, convened a junta of officers for the pur- pose of considering the advisability of returning at once to San Blas. His
220
OFFICIAL EXPLORATIONS.
On the 28th the ships put to sea once more, taking a south-westerly course, without attempting to find a passage at the head of Prince William Sound as Cook had done in the preceding year, and on the 1st of August they found an anchorage formed by several islands in latitude 59° 8'. Formal possession was again taken and the largest island of the group named Isla de la Regla. This was the Cape Elizabeth of Cook, who had failed to notice its separation from the continent. The Iliamna volcano on the west shore of Cook Inlet was sighted from this point and named Miranda. 49
After a short stay at this anchorage, Arteaga concluded to give up further explorations and to sail direct for Cape Mendocino. The departure took place on the 7th of August, and thus ended, so far as relates to Alaska, an expedition which would have been of the greatest importance had it not been for the English explorations of the year preceding. Ar- teaga and his officers could know nothing of Cook's investigations and believed themselves the first to ex- plore the region already visited by the Resolution and Discovery between Cross Sound and Cape Elizabeth, but even after deducting from the result of their work
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