USA > Alaska > Our northern domain: Alaska, picturesque, historic and commercial > Part 2
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THE RISE OF THE RUSSIAN - AMERICAN COMPANY.
surrendered were converted into hunters for the Company, and their future good behavior secured by keeping twenty children of the most prominent as hostages.
All fear of further attack being thus removed, Shelikhof proceeded to organize his trading and exploring enterprises. In some of these he met with a fair measure of success; in others, he found the natives hostile or suspicious. One small party established friendly relations with the native chief of Shuiak, the northernmost island of the Kadiak Archipelago. This chief proved treacherous; he retained the trading- goods furnished him by Shelikhof, and also made an alliance with the Kenaitze Indians of Cook's Inlet. Shelikhof was obliged to administer a severe castigation to these natives, but he carried out his plans. An- other of his subordinate expeditions went to the Gulf of Chugach (now known as Prince William Sound) and the Copper River region, but the natives there were found to be averse to trading with the Russians. Not much more was done than to erect crosses and other insignia to warn explorers of other nations that the country had been taken under the Russian possession. In many places these notifications were es- tablished where Spanish and English explorers had already erected similar warnings.
While Shelikhof was carrying on his active explorations, and also, with the aid of his wife, was making great strides in converting the natives to Christianity, his partner Golikof had been making a visit to his native town of Kursk. The Empress happened to pass through the town, and Golikof secured an audience with her. He showed the charts and plans that Shelikhof had made. She was greatly interested in all that she heard, and expressed a desire to see Shelikhof personally whenever he should be in Petersburg.
Shelikhof, having established his little colony and provided for fur- ther explorations, proceeded to Okhotsk, where he laid before the Gov- ernor Yakoby a detailed report of his discoveries, claiming that he had added fifty thousand new subjects to the Empire, and asking for instructions as to his future course. Yakoby was greatly impressed
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by these claims, and sent despatches to the Empress. In consequence of what she had heard, two expeditions were ordered to be fitted out for further explorations in these far distant regions. One was pre- vented by the war between Russia and Sweden; the second was put under the command of an Englishman by the name of Billings, who was instructed to pay especial attention to the American coast. This expedition did not sail until 1790.
Yakoby, in his letters, declared that he deemed it sufficient to secure Russia in her new possessions, to place in position thirty large copper- plates with the Russian coat of arms, and a quantity of wooden crosses, that should bear inscriptions claiming the land. He had suggestions to make regarding the tribute to be paid by the natives, and he craftily urged that as long as irresponsible traders wandered at will over the country, and were allowed to treat the natives as they pleased, there would be great irregularities; whereas, Shelikhof had carried on his enterprises with humane and patriotic principles, and had always pro- claimed that all he did was " in the name and for the glory of her Majesty, the Empress." He, therefore, urged the Empress to grant the Company represented by Shelikhof and his partners a monopoly, so that " the interests of the Crown and of the new subjects would always be duly considered, while the lawless hordes of Siberian pro- mui'shleniki and convicts would be driven from the country." He was not particular to state that he was among those who were furnish- ing the additional capital needed by Shelikhof.
The Department of Commerce, at the command of the Empress, took into consideration the recommendations of the Governor of Siberia and the petition of Shelikhof and his partner, and after declaring that " the prosecution of Shelikhof's enterprise was of the highest impor- tance to Russia on account of the interruption of the trade with China, whereby great loss was caused to all Siberia and a pernicious influence exerted on Russian commerce," suggested that the firm in question should be granted the sum of two hundred thousand rubles for twenty years, without interest, and exempt from taxation. Two hundred
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THE RISE OF THE RUSSIAN - AMERICAN COMPANY.
thousand rubles was not a very great sum, and it was probably granted. The Empress was pleased to confer upon the two merchants a sword, and a gold medal to be worn around the neck, with her portrait on one side, and a legend on the other stating that it was conferred upon them in consideration of their services in the discovery and settlement of unknown countries and the establishment of commercial intercourse with native tribes.
Shelikhof, on his return to Irkutsk, immediately organized further exploring expeditions. One went to the Kuril Islands, and another to the Aleutian Islands, with instructions to effect a settlement as far south on the mainland as possible. In 1788, he sent his ship " Three Saints," under two experienced navigators, to the Gulf of Chugach, where they bought a quantity of sea-otter skins in exchange for a few needles and beads - the profit, of course, being enormous. They also increased their influence by decorating the neighboring chiefs with copper and bronze medals, but it is said that their attempt to set up the copper tablets, asserting their claim to the land, proved abortive, as the natives immediately pilfered the metal.
At Bering Bay, now called Yakutat, the head chief was presented with a portrait of the Grand Duke Paul Petrovtich, but the natives stated, a year later, that as soon as the " Three Saints " set sail, they burnt the grand duke's picture with great rejoicings.
In 1786, a determined fur hunter, named Gerasim Pribilof, made the important discovery of the summer resort of the otary or fur-seal, located on a group of small islands about two hundred miles from the Alaskan mainland and equidistant from Unalaska and Saint Matthew Island. Millions of these strange and interesting animals would " haul out " on their rookeries on the two principal islands, Saint George and Saint Paul. The story told by Pribilof and his companions soon came to the ears of Shelikhof and made him still more desirous of securing a monopoly. There was only one important rival whom he had to fear, the other smaller companies having failed through the protection ac- corded to Shelikhof by the Government. The Lebedef-Lastochkin Com-
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pany had stations on both the islands and the mainland, and they em- ployed able navigators. Indeed, Pribilof was in their employ when he made his great discovery. Shelikhof, however, had bought up a good many shares in the rival company, and Lebedef was also a silent partner with Shelikhof. In spite of this mutual copartnership, actual hostilities were constantly breaking out between the men employed by these friendly rivals. It took the proportions of a civil war, and had a terrible effect on the natives, who often exterminated the weaker faction.
Shelikhof was shrewd enough to realize that the only hope for his Company was to put its Alaskan affairs under the control of a mas- terful spirit, and such he was fortunate enough to find in Aleksandr Andréyevitch Baránof, a merchant of Kargopol, who had attracted attention by his immense energy and success in managing his own affairs. He was a man of small stature but iron will, with extraordi- nary powers of endurance and capacity in the control of his subordi- nates. Baránof, at first, preferring his independence, refused Shel- ikhof's offers, but after meeting with experiences similar to those ascribed to the Merchant of Venice, in having his caravans destroyed and his argosies plundered, though in his case by savage Chukchi, he came to terms with Shelikhof on the 18th of August, 1790, and set sail for Kadiak. He was furnished with detailed instructions regarding his dealing with the traders of other nations.
The Russian Government had ordered the Shelikhof Company to prevent the seizure by foreign powers of any of the territory occu- pied by the Russian traders, or the lands and islands that might be acquired by them in the Pacific Ocean. Captain James Cook had made his celebrated voyage along the North American coast as far north as Icy Cape in Bering Strait, and had, in 1778, taken possession of various points on the inlet which now bears his name. He had spent some days on Unalaska. Other English explorers had followed in his wake and carried on their trading expeditions even to Kadiak. English traders had settled at Nutka on Vancouver Island, and were alert to
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THE RISE OF THE RUSSIAN - AMERICAN COMPANY.
take advantage of their position. The French explorer, Comte de la Pérouse, had, in 1785, made his celebrated voyage to the northwest coast, renaming Lituya Bay, - Port des Francais, - and giving his name to the strait which he sailed through at such peril. The Span- iards also had made many geographical discoveries and given names to various points and islands. Baránof was ordered to remove and destroy every vestige of these foreign claims, and to drive the English away from Nutka, if possible.
His first task was the settlement of the difficulties with the two Rus- sian traders, Kolomin, a cruel Siberian, who was treating the natives atrociously, and Captain Konoválof, in the employ of the Lebedef- Lastochkin Company, who were at war with each other on Cook's Inlet. He seized them both, flogged them with the knout, put them in irons, and sent them to Siberia for trial; their followers he scattered about at the various posts, where they could not communicate with one another.
He soon discovered that the site selected by Shelikhof on Kadiak Island was ill adapted for the larger operations which he had in view, and he moved his headquarters to the harbor of St. Paul, where there was ample anchorage for vessels, and plenty of timber for building purposes. This having been accomplished, Baránof despatched Cap- tain Bokhárof, a trustworthy and skilful navigator, to make further explorations. Bokhárof followed the coast of the mainland to the north, and discovered the portage route, which gives the quickest and safest means of communication between the Strait of Shelikhof and Bering Sea. He returned to St. Paul Harbor, his skin-covered boat heavy-laden with furs, walrus-ivory, and deerskins. He had won the good-will of many native tribes and their chiefs, who expressed their willingness to trade with the Russians.
In the spring of 1793, Baránof set out with thirty men in two large skin boats, and after rounding Kenai Peninsula, entered the waters of Prince William Sound, where he also formed friendly compacts with the natives. At Nuchek Harbor he was surprised by a large force of
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Thlinkit Indians, or, as the Russians called them, Koloshi, who almost accomplished their purpose of massacring the whole command. Ba- ránof's skill as a commander and the Russians' superiority in arms prevailed. The enemy retired taking their wounded and leaving twelve dead on the field. Two of the Russians and nine Aleuts were killed and almost a score were wounded. Baránof described the en- counter with the simplicity of the hero: - " God preserved me, though my shirt was pierced by several spears, and the arrows fell thick, with- out doing much damage. I was awakened from a sound sleep and had no time to dress, but as soon as I had emerged from my tent I knew that we should be able to beat them."
Baránof built the first vessel to be launched in the waters of the northwest. Shelikhof, in the autumn of 1791, sent to Kadiak the ship " Northern Eagle " laden with iron, cordage, canvas, and other ship- building material. He put it under the charge of an English ship- wright, named Shields, whose services he engaged. Baránof selected Voskresensky, or Resurrection Bay, on the coast of Prince William Sound, for his shipyard, and there in the summer of 1794 was launched the two-decked three-master, the " Feniks " or " Phoenix," of one hundred and eighty tons capacity. She was seventy-three feet long and twenty-three feet beam. Yellow spruce of fine quality abounded on Kadiak, but as paint and tar were lacking, the " Phoenix " was smeared with a coating of spruce gum, ochre, and whale oil. Two other small vessels were also built and launched - the " Dolphin " and the " Olga." The " Phoenix," on its way to Kadiak, came to grief in a storm, and had to be towed into the harbor; but she was repaired and refitted, and made a memorable voyage to the Siberian coast, where she was received with a religious celebration worthy of the pious Shel- ikhof.
The same year, the famous English explorer, Captain George Van- couver, appeared in those far northern waters. Baránof, following instructions, kept aloof from him. The Russian Government, above all things, desired to hide its plans from inquisitive eyes. Baránof
WINTER DRESS OF ALASKANS.
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THE RISE OF THE RUSSIAN - AMERICAN COMPANY.
also was afraid lest his ship-builder, Shields, might be induced to rejoin his fellow-countrymen.
The year 1794 saw the arrival of the first Russian priests. Shelikhof, who was a zealous proselyter, had been for some years urging the Gov- ernment to establish a mission among the natives, and finally his pleas had their effect. The Archimandrite Ivásof, with seven popes and two laymen, arrived by way of Okhotsk, and at once began their active work. One priest went to Unalaska and converted and baptized nearly all the Aleutian tribes. Another, Father Juvenal, who went into the Ilyamna region, attacked the polygamous practices of the natives, and, arousing their enmity, was slain. A third, named Germand, estab- lished a school on Spruce Island in the Harbor of St. Paul, and for more than forty years labored faithfully, instructing the native chil- dren in the principles of religion and in useful pursuits. The Archi- mandrite, a few years later, was ordained at Irkutsk as Bishop of the new Russian possessions on the Pacific. On his way back from Siberia, in company with a number of ecclesiastics, his ship, the " Phœ- nix," foundered and all were lost.
Shelikhof also petitioned for a number of Siberian convicts to be sent to Alaska, together with their families, to establish an agricultural settlement. A company of more than two hundred were sent from Okhotsk, and settled in the vicinity of Yakutat; or, if they were prac- tical mechanics, scattered among the various stations of the Company.
During this same year, another important event happened to the advantage of the Company. The Chinese Government informed the Governor of Siberia that the merchants of China were desirous of re- suming the trade which had been so long interrupted between the Rus- sians and themselves, and that especial concessions would be granted. The Chinese were particularly fond of the fur-seal skins, which they cured in a manner peculiar to themselves. The great increase in pro- duction of these, through the discovery of the Pribilof Islands, made it clear to Shelikhof that there was going to be a revival of that profit- able trade with China. He did not live to see the results that he an-
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ticipated. He died in July, 1795, having been recently ennobled by the Empress Catharine. His wife, however, remained in Siberia, and carried on his affairs with remarkable ability. She knew of his plan for consolidating the various companies trading in Siberia and the re- gions of Alaska, and aided by her son-in-law, Count Nikolai Riazánof, who occupied an influential position at Court, the charter was granted in 1799 by the Emperor Paul, who had at first opposed such a monop- oly as it created. The Shelikhof United Company now called itself the Russian-American Company, and secured for a period of twenty years full privileges on the coast of North-western America, begin- ning with latitude 55 degrees North, and including the chain of islands from Kamchatka northward to America and southward to Japan, as well as the exclusive right to all enterprises, whether hunting, trading, or building, and all new discoveries that might be made. On the other hand, all persons who had formerly had ships and establishments there, and all new comers, were strictly excluded.
These privileges carried with them onerous obligations. The Com- pany was required to maintain, at its own expense, the government of the country, the Church establishment, the support of a strong mili- tary force, and magazines of provisions and ammunition to be used by the Government ships or armies in case they should be needed. It had also to establish experiment stations for agricultural settlements. It had no taxes to pay, but was obliged to collect duties on caravan tea, and it is said that these amounted in some years to not less than two million rubles. The Company had its own flag, and exercised almost imperial powers. It was managed by an administrative council composed of shareholders in Petersburg; there was a general office at Irkutsk, and a chief manager, who had to be an officer of the Imperial navy : this official had full jurisdiction over all offenders and criminals, and in case of mutiny or revolution, his powers were absolute. Sal- aries, except to the chiefs, were small, and as the employees were engaged for a term of years, and were not allowed to return in case they were in debt to the Company - as they usually were - the sub-
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THE RISE OF THE RUSSIAN - AMERICAN COMPANY.
ordinates were in a state approaching serfdom. The natives were not taxed but were obliged to furnish a certain quantity of sea-otter yearly ; all the men of the various tribes between the ages of eighteen and fifty were obliged to engage in this labor.
The shares that were put on sale in Russia were bought up by wealthy nobles; even the Emperor and other members of the Imperial family found it to their interest to participate in this promising investment.
CHAPTER IV.
THE FOUNDING OF SITKA.
B ARANOF was still engaged in extending the enterprises of the Company. In the year of the charter, he embarked on the brig " Catharine," and convoyed by a fleet of Innuit bidarkas, sailed to the region of Sitka, which had already been explored by Captain Shields. Sitka, which is situated about a hundred miles south of the latitude of Petersburg, seemed to him a suitable place for a per- manent settlement, because thither came many ships with which he could trade and thereby secure supplies. About six miles from the present town of Sitka, he began to build a fortified trading-post, with log-houses all surrounded by a high stockade. While his men were busy with this work, a number of American trading-ships came into port, and, under Baránof's very eyes, began to swap firearms with the natives in exchange for sea-otter skins. They paid no heed to Bará- nof's protests, and he was obliged to content himself with forwarding despatches to the administrative council of the Company, asking the Government to put a stop to such outrages.
As soon as the American vessels had sailed, Baránof returned to Kadiak, where he found affairs in a state of demoralization: disputes had arisen between the officers of the Company and the clergy; dis- cipline had been thoroughly relaxed, and a party of the ringleaders were engaged in fitting out one of the Company's vessels for an inde- pendent cruise. Baránof immediately restored order from chaos, pun- ishing the chief culprits severely. A scoundrel named Larionof tried to assassinate Baránof, who, however, was too quick for him: he seized the man's hand, took away his weapon, and strangled him to death.
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THE FOUNDING OF SITKA.
During Baránof's absence from Sitka, a tragic event befell. Al- though the site for the stronghold had been acquired by barter from the chief of the savage Koloshi, who dwelt in that region, and although they pretended to be friendly, they harbored hostile feelings against the settlers, and were on the lookout for an opportunity to exterminate them. One June holiday, when it was known that a large part of the garrison were out hunting and fishing, a band of several thousand armed Koloshi, assisted by allied tribes of Thlinkits, made a simultaneous assault on the garrison. The commander, Vasili Medviednikof, and the rest of the inmates were slain at once; more than three thousand sea-otter skins and other property of the Company were taken from the warehouse and carried to the canoes which had brought a large number of the savages; the other houses were also looted and then set on fire. Three Russians and five Aleuts managed to escape. One of the survivors, who happened at the time to be out watching the cattle, afterwards described the massacre. Having secured his gun, and bid- den a girl employed in the yard to flee for her life, he went and hid in the thick underbrush, though not without an encounter with four Koloshi, who wrested his gun from him but did not kill him. From the edge of the woods, he could see the savages swarming over the barracks and carrying off their loot. He witnessed the rapid spread of the fire that destroyed all the buildings.
He says : - " I threw myself down among the underbrush on the edge of the forest, covering myself with pieces of bark. From there I saw Nakvassin drop from the upper balcony and run toward the forest; but when nearly across the open space he fell to the ground, and four warriors rushed up and carried him back to the barracks on the points of their lances and cut off his head. Kabanof was dragged from the barracks into the street, where the Koloshi pierced him with their lances; but how the other Russians who were there came to their end, I do not know. The slaughter and burning was continued by the sav- ages until evening, but finally I stole out among the ruins and ashes, and in my wanderings came across some of our cows, and saw that
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OUR NORTHERN DOMAIN.
even the poor dumb animals had not escaped the bloodthirsty fiends, but had spears stuck in their sides. Exercising all my strength, I was barely able to pull out some of the spears, when I was observed by two Koloshi and compelled to leave the cows to their fate, and hide again in the woods.
" I passed the night not far from the ruins of the fort. In the morn- ing I heard the report of a cannon, and looked out of the brush but could see no one, and not wishing to expose myself again to further danger, went higher up into the mountain through the forest. While advancing cautiously through the woods, I met two other persons who were in the same plight as myself - a girl from the Chiniatz village, Kodiak, with an infant at her breast, and a man from the Kiliuda village, who had been left behind by the hunting party on account of sickness. I took them both with me to the mountain, but each night I went with my companions to the ruins of the fort and bewailed the fate of the slain. In this miserable condition we remained for a week, with nothing to eat and nothing but water to drink. About noon of the last day, we heard from the mountain two cannon-shots, which raised some hopes in me, and I bade my companions to follow me at a little distance, and then went down toward the river, through the woods, to hide myself near the shore, and see whether there was a ship in the bay."
This proved to be an English vessel under the command of Captain Barber, who heard the man's shouts and sent a boat to take him aboard. His shouts were heard also by half a dozen of the Koloshi, who almost captured him. When taken on board the vessel, he told the story of the massacre; and a boat with a load of armed men was sent to rescue the other survivors. They reconnoitred the ruins of the fort and buried the dead, all of whom they found beheaded, with one exception.
The captain inveigled the " toyon," or native chief, Mikhail, and his nephew on board. He feasted them until they became intoxicated, and then ordered them put in irons, keeping them confined until they agreed to return all the prisoners taken. These included eighteen
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THE FOUNDING OF SITKA.
women, who had been seized as they were washing clothes at the river The ransom also included a payment of two thousand sea-otter skins. Having succeeded in this " coup de main," Captain Barber set sail for Kadiak, where he demanded of Baranof a sum of fifty thousand rubles for his services in rescuing the men and women. Baránof re- fused to accede to these exorbitant terms, and finally settled with a load of furs valued at a fifth of that amount.
This disaster at Sitka was followed by many others, fulfilling the old proverb that misfortunes never come singly. One hundred and eighty Aleut hunters were surprised and massacred in the same vicin- ity. Another party of about one hundred perished by eating poisonous mussels; this tragedy giving the name of " Pagubleniye Prolif," or " Destruction Strait " - sometimes miscalled "Peril Strait " - to the body of water between Baránof and Chichagof Islands, where the disaster occurred. Three ships loaded with provisions and stores were wrecked on their way to Kadiak, and the employees of the Company were saved from starvation only by the arrival of a vessel from New York, the cargo of which consisted chiefly of provisions. Baranof was glad to purchase them for twelve thousand rubles.
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