European veffels that had ever entered the found, as none of the > natives
were afraid to approach the veffels, it is natural to fuppofe that
objefts fo Angular and unaccountable would attraft the attention of every
individual, who could find either an opportunity to gratify his euriofity,
or to traffic for thofe commodities which were efteemed amongft them as
articles of valuable acquifition, little doubt can exift that a large proportion
of the inhabitants at that time made their appearance. Our not
having feen any deferted habitations flrongly fupports this opinion, and
the circumftance o f the antiquity of all the graves met with on the
weftern fide of the inlet, may have been occafioned by the natives of late
years having been more confined to the eaftern parts of the found,' for
the convenience of tranfafiling their commercial bufinefs with their European
vifitors, who have uniformly made thofe parts their rendezvous.
I would not however with to be underflood to mean, that the Ruffian
eftablifhments in this country had not coft fome blood, becaufe I have
been informed by themfelves, that both Ruffians and Indians had fallen in
effe&ing their purpofe, though neither in any confiderable numbers ; • but
my reafon for alluding to this fubjeft is, to point out that the population
of this country appears to have been greatly over-rated by thofe gentlemen
who have vifited it fince Captain Cook’s time;' fince, according
to their eftimation, it would now appear to be reduced to one half its former
number of inhabitants.
Mr. Meares obferves, that thefe people have no towns, villages, or
fixed places of abode; in this refpecl he was certainly not well informed,
and may poflibly have lain under the fame difadvantage with regard to
the numerous and powerful nations which he confiders as being in their
neighbourhood. The general appearance of the adjacent countries gave
us every reafon to believe that thefe regions were very thinly inhabited.
It was remarked, that during the furveying excurfions not a finglefea
otter, and but very few whales or Teals1 had been feen; and that the wild
fowl were not met with in that plenty during Mr. Whidbey’s, as in Mr.
Johnftone’s, expedition.
This being the amount of what had principally occurred refpefting the
natural
natural Hate of prince William’s found, I have to regret very much our >79t-
want of knowledge of the Ruffian language, becaufe the refults of all our 1 ^u"-'
inquiries, concerning the pbjeft of that power, in extending its immenfe
empire to thefe diftant and inhofpitable fhores, became from that caufe in
a great meafure nugatory, vague, or contradiftory. We however clearly
underftood, that the Ruffian government had little to do with thefe fettle-
ments ; that they were folely under the direftion and fupport of independent
mercantile companies ; and that port Etches, which had been efta-
blifhed in the courfe of the preceding fummer, was then their molt eaftern
fettlement on the American coaft; but I was not able toilearn the number
of different ftations they had, though I underftood from Mr. Smyloff, that
the total of Ruffians employed between this port and Oonalafhka, both in-
clufive, were about four hundred. This number, it fhould feem, is amply
fufficient for the accomplifihment of the purpofe they have in view; as
not the leaft attention whatever is paid to the cultivation of the land, or
to any other objefl but that o f coliefling furs, which is principally done
by the Indians, whofe fervices they have completely fecured, and whofe
implicit confidence they have, intirely gained; particularly thofe of Cook’s
inlet, and the iflands' o f and to the fouth-weft of the Kodiak; the adjacent
continent they reprefent as a fteril and uninhabited country. Although
we could not gratify our euriofity to the extent I could have
wifhed refpefling the. fituation of the Ruffians, yet I could not avoid
feeling a degree of fatisfaflion in obferving the comfortable manner in
which they feem to live amongft thefe untutored children Of nature; having
gained them over to be obedient to their wifhes, they appear to
maintain their influence not by fear, as their conquerors, but by having
found the way to their hearts, and by fecuring an affeflionate regard.
This was manifefted in all their tranfaflions, though more efpeciaily in their
intercourfe with the people of Cook’s inlet and the Kodiak; many of whom,
the women as well as the men, are retained in the fervice of the Ruffians,
who fpeak of their attachment and fidelity in the higheft terms of praife and
approbation, and indifcriminately employ them with their own parties on
bufinefs of the moft.confidential importance. The natives of prince William’s
found,, however, do not appear to fhare the good opinion of the
Ruffians.