USA > Alaska > History of Alaska : 1730-1885 > Part 39
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The winter of 1798-9 was passed by the colonists at Kadiak in cheerful content, for they were busy in preparing for the great movement to the eastward in the following spring, and the letters written by Bar-
1 The immediate causes for the founding of this settlement were the de- crease in fur-bearing animals on the islands to the west, and the discovery of large numbers of sea-otter on the straits and sounds adjoining the mainland. Moreover, to incorporate with Russia the whole of north-western America, and to prevent other nations from establishing a trade with the natives, was the unvarying policy of Baranof. Luke, in Materialui, iv. 149.
HIST. ALASKA. 25
386
THE FOUNDING OF SITKA.
anof at this juncture bear evidence of his confidence. Early in March the new sloop Konstantin arrived at Kadiak from Prince William Sound, and was sup- plied with sails and rigging from the stores brought by Bocharof. On the 10th of April, Baranof set sail with the two vessels, manned by twenty-two Russians and accompanied by a fleet of nearly two hundred canoes. The course was along the coast of the Kenaï peninsula to Prince William Sound, where the expe- dition was joined by Baranof's most trusted assistant, Kuskof, with one hundred and fifty additional canoes which had wintered on Nuchek Island.
Misfortune attended Baranof's enterprise from its inception. On the 2d of May, while weathering Cape Suckling on the coast opposite Kayak, thirty of the canoes, containing two men each, were swallowed by the heavy seas into which even a moderate breeze raises these shallow waters. In a letter to his friend Delarof, Baranof tells of his further troubles: " While we were still mourning the loss of our hunters, night came on, and as I saw further indications of storm, I ordered all the canoes to make for the shore, accom- panying them in person in my own bidarka. In the darkness we underestimated the distance, and when at last we reached the sandy beach, exhausted from continued paddling, we threw ourselves upon the sand overshadowed by dense forests. No sooner had we closed our eyes, than the dreaded war-cry of the Ko- losh brought us again to our feet. The greatest con- sternation prevailed among the naturally timid Aleuts, who were filled with such dread of the well-known enemy as to think it useless to make any resistance. Many of them rushed into the forest, into the very hands of their assailants, instead of launching their canoes and putting to sea. I had only two Russians with me, and we fired our guns into the darkness wherever the cries of the Kolosh were loudest; but when our ammunition was expended, we did not know what execution we had done. A few of the native
387
A FIGHT WITH THE KOLOSH.
hunters who had been presented with fowling-pieces also made a feeble show of resistance; but what saved us from total destruction was the intervening darkness, which prevented our assailants from distinguishing friends from enemies. After an unequal contest, last- ing over an hour, the Kolosh retired to the woods, while I and my assistants endeavored to rally our scattered men. By shouting to them in the Aleutian tongue, we succeeded in gathering the survivors, still hidden in the woods and among the driftwood lining the shore, and before morning departed from the in- hospitable beach, leaving thirteen canoes, the owners of which had been killed or carried into captivity. The rising sun showed us the sloops in the offing, and we lost no time in seeking their welcome protection."
This attack by the natives, added to the loss at sea, had so reduced the force, that Kuskof advised a return to Prince William Sound; but Baranof was not to be thus thwarted. He pressed forward, travelling along the coast, chiefly by night, and daring to camp only on prominent points, where there was least danger of surprise. At last, on the 25th, the expedition en- tered the sheltered basin of Norfolk, or Sitka Sound. The towering heights were still covered with snow, almost to the water's edge, and the weather was stormy; rain, snow, and sleet alternating with furious gusts of wind. The landing was accomplished at a point still known as Old Sitka, about six miles north of the present town of that name. A large crowd of natives had assembled to watch the movements of the.
new-comers. A Sitkan chief, Katleut, or Katlean, whom Kuskof had met during his hunting expedition of the preceding summer, approached Baranof and demanded to know his intentions, telling him at the same time that a Boston ship was anchored a short distance to the southward, and that her captain had purchased many skins.
Baranof replied in a lengthy harangue, reciting the long-stereotyped European falsehood, that the em-
388
THE FOUNDING OF SITKA.
peror of all the Russias, who was the lord of that country, had sent him to establish a settlement for trade, and to assure his new subjects of his fatherly care and protection. At the same time he asked for the grant of a small piece of ground for the erection of buildings, and for which he offered to pay in beads and other trading goods. The barter was concluded, and Katleut even asserted that he could force the other chiefs into the agreement. A few hours after- ward the sound of Russian axes was heard in the virgin forest, the crash of falling timber was echoed from the sides of Verstovoi, and all was bustle and high determination. The site bordered a shallow stream alive with salmon. One half of the company were employed in building, while the remainder were sent to hunt sea-otter in the vicinity. On the follow- ing day the chief manager received a visit from the Boston ship, which proved to be the Caroline, in charge of Captain Cleveland, who stated that he had only ten men before the mast, and that on account of the fierce character of the natives he had found it necessary to take great precautions. He had placed a screen of hides round the ship with the exception of the stern, whence trade was carried on with the na- tives,2 who could not see the deck, or know how few men he had. Two pieces of cannon were placed in position, and on the taffrail was a pair of blunderbusses on swivels.
The savages who then inhabited the neighborhood of Norfolk Sound were among the most treacherous and repulsive of all the Alaskan tribes. "A more hideous set of beings in the form of men and women,"
2 Cleveland states that on the first day he bought 100 skins at the cheap rate of two yards of broadcloth per skin. On the second day he purchased 200. During his stay at Norfolk Sound the natives made several attempts to capture the vessel. Voy., i. 92-5 (Boston ed., 1850). On one occasion a na- tive dressed in a bear-skin came down to the beach, on all fours, imitating the movements of the animal, in order to decoy the crew on shore, while an armed party lay in ambush close by. A boat was lowered to take some of the men in pursuit of the bear, but one of the ambushed party exposed himself, and that gave the alarm. Id., i. 105.
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389
FEARS OF SPAIN.
writes the captain, "I had never before seen. The fantastic manner in which many of the faces of the men were painted was probably intended to give them a ferocious appearance; and some groups looked really as if they had escaped from the dominions of Satan himself. One had a perpendicular line dividing the two sides of the face, one side of which was painted red, the other black; with the hair daubed with grease and red ochre, and filled with the down of birds. Another had the face divided with a horizontal line in the middle, and painted black and white. The visage of a third was painted in checkers, etc. Most of them had little mirrors; before the ac- quisition of which they must have been dependent on each other for those correct touches of the pencil which are so much in vogue, and which daily require more time than the toilet of a Parisian belle."
From the ship Enterprise, which arrived at Kadiak from New York3 on the 24th of April, 1800, the chief manager heard that hostilities had broken out in Europe, that Spain had formed an alliance with France, and that a Spanish frigate was to be sent to Russian America. The news was received with no little anxiety. At this time all the storehouses at Three Saints were full of choice furs, which Baranof now caused to be concealed in the adjacent islands. "Truly," he writes, "if the terrible emergency should arise, and the enemy come upon us, they cannot take much more than our lives, and these are in God's hands. It would take more than mortal eyes to dis- cover where our precious skins are concealed."4
Several other American vessels, among them the brig Eliza, under Captain Rowan, visited the bay dur- ing the summer, and absorbed the trade, while the
3 Baranof purchased from her captain a quantity of goods, partly with a view to prevent him from trading with the natives, and partly because the Feniks being now given up for lost, no supplies could be expected for that season. Khlebnikof, Shizn. Baranova, 63-4.
+ Id., 68.
390
THE FOUNDING OF SITKA.
Russians were preparing to occupy the field in the future. During the preceding winter the relations between the colonists and the natives had been peace- able, but there was much suffering on account of insufficient food and shelter. A fort was erected, and named after the archangel Michael,5 in "the hope that the great champion of the Lord would protect the promyshleniki;" nevertheless, soon after the estab- lishment of the settlement misfortune again reduced Baranof's force. On the 18th of July, he received news from an Aleutian party which had camped for the night on the tortuous passage connecting Norfolk Sound with Chatham Strait, that a number of the men had died from eating poisonous mussels. The passage was thereafter named Pogibshie, or Destruc- tion Strait, which name has subsequently been changed by Americans to Peril Strait.
While Baranof was thus engaged in establishing his new colony, a block-house and stockade had been built by Polomoshnoi at Yakutat, or Bering Bay, for the reception of the Siberian convicts, or agricultural settlers, as they were called. The site for this settle- ment had been chosen by mistake. After his first visit to Prince William Sound, Baranof had recom- mended the country bordering on Comptroller Bay as probably adapted to agricultural pursuits. Cape Suck- ling, the western point of this bay, had been erroneously called Cape St Elias, the name applied to the south
5 In a letter to Rodianof, agent at Nuchek, dated May 14, 1800, Baranof writes: 'We enjoyed good health and fair success during our winter there, and though we had some difficulties with the people, we finally established friendly intercourse with them. I resolved to establish a permanent settle- ment, and at once set to work to erect the necessary buildings, one of which was a two-story structure, 8 fathoms long and 4 wide, protected on all sides by palisades and two strong block-houses or towers. Another building I had put up for myself and future commanders, with the necessary accom-
modation for servants and officers, and there I have lived from the middle of February to the present date. A small temporary bath-house had been erected, wherein I passed the first part of the winter, a shed and sleeping- rooms for the members of the party, a blacksmith's shop, and temporary kitchen. One fortified block-house is not quite finished, while two others have been only just begun. The men here number 25 Russians and 55 Aleu- tian hunters.' Tikhmenef, Istor. Obos., ii. app. part ii. 131.
391
YAKUTAT SETTLEMENT.
point of Kayak Island by Bering, and in his recom- mendation Baranof spoke of the country about Cape St Elias. Subsequently the bay of Yakutat had been visited by Purtof and Kuskof; and as this affords the only good harbor on that part of the coast, and is overshadowed by the peak of St Elias, the pro- posed settlement had been located there in a deso- late region of ice and rock, entirely unfit for occupation by man. Polomoshnoi only obeyed orders in locating the block-house there, but as soon as the buildings were completed, he returned to Kadiak to remonstrate against any attempts at founding an agricultural colony in such a place. He was ordered back, how-
Mt:St.Elias
Controller Bay
KAYAK I.
Cape Suckling
Cape St.Elias
Bay of Yakutat
Cape Fairweather
YAKUTAT BAY SETTLEMENT.
ever, by Baranof's representative, and sailed for his destination on the brig Orel, laden with provisions for the new settlement, in charge of Talin, a naval officer in the service of the company, but one who, like all of his profession, was little disposed to heed the chief manager's instructions, and when his vessel was lying in Norfolk Sound had threatened to hang Baranof from the mast-head if he dared to show himself on board. While beating against head winds, the ship was wrecked on the island of Sukluk (Montague), and Polomoshnoi, with five men, perished.6
6 Four hundred sea-otter skins, valued at 22,000 roubles, were lost on this occasion, in addition to the rigging and anchors and ship's stores. Talin had
392
THE FOUNDING OF SITKA.
From other parts of the country news of dis- aster had also reached Baranof. The year before his departure for Norfolk Sound he had been informed that two of the company's establishments, at Ilyamna and Kadiak, had been surprised, and all the Russians stationed there, twenty-one in number, massacred. The outbreak appears to have been caused, as usual, by the cruelty of the settlers, for all the native ser- vants were spared.
Notwithstanding occasional misfortunes, Baranof's management of the affairs of the company appears to have met with the approval of most of the directors,
been from the beginning overbearing and insolent in his intercourse with Baranof, whom he considered as a mere kupetz, or trader, far beneath him in social rank. It grated upon his aristocratic sensibilities to receive orders from such a man, and acting in this spirit, he seized upon every opportunity to evade obedience and raise obstacles.
In order to show the unfortunate relations existing between the naval gentle- man and Baranof, and also the character of the latter, I wiil copy here portions of a letter written by him to Lieutenant Talin, dated in May 1799: 'Gracious Sir: In your communication to me, you are pleased to ask why I meddle with nautical affairs. Do you refuse to follow my instructions because I am a mer- chant ? Does it compromise your honor, as an officer and gentleman, to execute the company's wishes when expressed through me? If such be the case, I must inform you that the managing partners of the company, Golikof and Shelikof, have intrusted the management of all its colonial affairs, includ- ing navigation, to me ever since the year 1790; and since then I have fre- quently been honored by direct instructions from the government, both public and secret, the execution of which was always left to me alone; and therefore all the navigators in the service of the company were under my orders. For proof of this, I refer you to a secret order, dated August 14, 1790, under No. 19, of which I send you a copy to keep for your own use. The last commu- nication on this subject is dated May 1797, and speaks also of you, dear sir, and the navigators in our service, and of your position with regard to the company in the following terms: "One of the partners of the company, Ivan Larionof, asked the late empress Ekaterina Alexeievna, of blessed memory, to furnish the company with a number of naval officers, in view of the importance of the company's voyages of discovery, and the difficulty of navigating these north- ern seas without thoroughly trained and experienced navigators, promising to such officers twice the salary which they received from the government. This petition was approved by our augnst monarch, Emperor Pavl Petrovich, who had succeeded to the throne in the mean time. Though these officers re- main in the imperial service, they were ordered to obey all commands and regulations of the company as strictly and punctually as if proceeding from their military commanders; and it is the will of our august monarch that they should conforin in every respect with the arrangements made by the company, be it during expeditions for special purposes or on voyages of discovery and exploration."
'In transmitting and presenting to you these orders and instructions with regard to the extent of my power and responsibility in these matters, I leave you entirely free to follow or not to follow my instructions with regard
393
BARANOF'S TROUBLES.
though he himself was dissatisfied with his position. In answer to a letter from Larionof, in 1799, he re- marks: " The lowest and most insignificant official in the service of the company pretends to know more about the business of this section than its head, and expresses his opinion on everything. They write about us, but nobody ever thinks of asking, How do they live there, and what are they doing ?" When writing to his friend Delarof, he mentions that he had never failed to earn for the shareholders a dividend, and that its amount for 1795 was 22,000 roubles. He also refers to his request to the managers of the com-
to this voyage, which is of the greatest importance, not only to the com- pany, but to the country at large. If you do not obey, I cannot compel you; but you will be kind enough to send me a written refusal and copies of my other letters relating to this subject, in order to enable me to take other measures which the interests of the company immediately require. As for the charts and journals which you think it superfluous to prepare and keep, I had already the honor to mention in my first communication that they are considered indispensable in the company's office. You cannot but acknowl- edge that in the science of practical navigation I have never attempted to interfere with you, but have only made you acquainted, where it was neces- sary, with the views of the company and of the government in regard to certain voyages of discovery to be made during the present summer; and if it insults your honor to receive such information through the mouth of a merchant, a class of people whom you consider as far beneath you, I can only be sorry that I am prevented from giving you the satisfaction which you per- haps desire, on account of being neither in the military nor the naval service of the government, and not even holding any civil position or rank. At the same time, I take the liberty of informing you that we are a company of merchants, accustomed to commercial usages only, and exacting business-like behavior on the part of our servants. If you really had no idea of this on leaving the admiralty college, you certainly cannot have failed to under- stand the character of our enterprise when signing the mutual agreement before the commanding officer at Okhotsk, and have had every opportunity of acquainting yourself with the nature of your engagement during your passage on the Feniks and on the Orel. Now that you are navigating one of our vessels on the coast of America, you have no choice but either to obey our instructions (even though it come from a person without official rank), or to give up the whole business and revoke the contract. The arrangements concerning your entrance into our service were made by higher authorities than yours or mine, and how the proposal to revoke them would be received by them I cannot tell. In conclusion, I would ask you again either to send me a peremptory written refusal, or to comply with the instructions drawn up by me, in conformity with the views of the government and of the managing partners of the company. Hoping that you will soon honor me with a com- munication on this subject, I remain with due respect, dear sir, your honor's obedient servant, Alexander Baranof.' Id., ii. app. part ii. 125-30. This letter, so polite and yet so brimming with satire, affords us another insight into the mind of the 'common trader,' despised by his military or naval sub- ordinates. The allusion to his regrets at being unable to give Talin the ‘sat- isfaction of a gentleman ' is especially pertinent, coming from one as brave as Baranof was known to be.
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394
THE FOUNDING OF SITKA.
pany to send from Russia some one to relieve him. As we shall see, this request was repeated several times during a period of nearly twenty years before a successor finally reached the colonies, though two were appointed meanwhile, but were shipwrecked on the way. There can be no doubt that the chief cause of his dissatisfaction was the unpleasant relations with the naval officers and the intrigues of the mission- aries, though his failing health and the condition of his finances were additional reasons.7
Believing the Sitka settlement to be now firmly established and safe from hostile attacks, Baranof re- turned to Kadiak in the autumn of 1800. But prior to his return he made an official visit to various set- tlements, an account of which I give in his own words.
Writing to Larionof, the agent at Unalaska, in July of this year, he says: "On Kenaï Bay at Ilyamna Lake the rebellious tribes have killed three of our men since Lebedef's people departed. Our establish- ments on the gulf of Kenaï have been broken up three times, and a conspiracy has been discovered to destroy all places occupied by Russians, and to kill them as well as the natives of Kadiak in their employ; and we have not been able as yet entirely to suppress the spirit of rebellion. But the saddest news of all, and the most disastrous to us, is of the wreck of the Feniks,
7 His pecuniary affairs at this time were in an unsatisfactory state. 'Of 9,000 roubles which I had left in the hands of Kretcheotzaff,' he writes, 'only one half has been returned, and I have met with losses in other quarters. If I were to return to Siberia now, I would not be a rouble better off than I was when I came to this country. The glass factory in Irkutsk in which I had in- vested 4,000 roubles has fallen into decay, and the stock gone into possession of my former partner, Lackman. I inquired concerning the sale of the property of my late wife, but never received an answer. This is the way, my friend, all the little property I had, and left in charge of my wife and friends, has been scattered. Some of it has been absorbed by unjust claims advanced by Shar- ikof and Lebedef. For this reason it would be advisable that I should return hence before I am left entirely destitute in my old age. But unfortunately, the shareholders have paid no attention to my demand for a successor, and I cannot conscientiously abandon my position and duties without leaving some one in my place, as such action might involve the company in inextricable difficulties. For the proper management of affairs here, a man in the prime of life, in the enjoyment of full health and all his faculties, is required, and not a person worn out with hardship and fatigue, and with a temper soured by adversity.'
395
THE DIRECTOR'S TRAVELS.
and the loss of the whole cargo and all on board. For two months portions of the wreck have been cast on the beach in various localities, but the exact place of the disaster remains unknown.
"I set out in person in July, first for the gulf of Ke- naï, to subdue the rebellious tribes, and the remnant of the Lebedef Company, who had killed over a hun- dred people between them, and had divided them- selves into several bands of robbers. Many of them threatened our men on the Kaknu River, which sta- tion they had occupied after the breaking-up of the Lebedef Company, but fortunately the leaders of the conspiracy dispersed upon my arrival, and though the combination was not entirely dissolved, I. succeeded in obtaining several hostages for the safety of our agent in command, Vassili Malakhof, but in the more distant settlements there is still a strong inclination to warfare and plunder. I remained there until the 15th of August, making necessary arrangements to in- sure the safety of the place by strengthening its for- tifications. I also selected a more convenient site for the fort, made a plan in accordance with the local facilities, and left its execution to the agent Malakhof; and after collecting all the furs at the station, consist- ing chiefly of those of small land-animals, I proceeded to Fort Alexandroffsk at the entrance of the gulf. Here I furnished the agent Ostrogin with further in- structions, and sailed again on the 30th of August, shaping my course for the redoubt at Voskressenski Bay. Thence I proceeded to Nuchek Island, where I made a searching investigation of everything, and es- tablished the fort St Konstantin upon a new site. I also had several interviews with the natives, and placed my assistant Kuskof in command of that re- gion."
"Concerning the new settlement at Sitka," the man- ager says, for I cannot do better than permit him to continue his story, "I thought there would be no danger with proper protection from the larger
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