The 30th of May, * 7 4 $ a party of Olotorians made®
defcent upon the ifland in three baidars,. and attacked
the natives; but, after fome lofs on both fides, they went
away. They returned foon after with a larger force, and
were again forced to retire. But as they threatened to
come again in a fhort time, and to deftroy all the inhabitants
who paid tribute, the latter advifed the, Ruffians to
retire from the ifland, and affifted them in building two
baidars. With thefe they put to fea the 27th of June,,
and landed the 21ft of July at Kamtchatka, with the
reft of their cargo, confifting of 320 fea-otters, of which
they paid the tenth into the cuftoms» During this expedition
twelve men were loft..
C H A P .
CHAP , nil
SucceJJive voyages, from 1747 11 r 753> to Becring’r and
Copper Ifland, and to the Aleutian Ifles.— Some account:
o f the inhabitants.
T N the year 1747« two veflels failed from the'Kamt-
chatka river, according to a permiffion granted by the
chancery of Bolckeretfk for hunting fea-otters. One
was fitted ©ut by Andrew Wfevidoff,. and carried forty-
fix men, befides eight COflacs : the other belonged to
Feodor Cholodiloff, Andrew Tolftyk, ,and company ; and
had on board a crew,: confifting of forty-one Ruffians and,
Kamtchadaisj with fix Coffacs..
The latter veflel failed the 20th of October, and was
forced, by ftrefs o f weather and other, accidents, to winter,
at Beering’s Ifland. From thence they departed May the
31ft, 1748, and touched at another fmall ifland, in order
to provide themfelves with water and other neceflaries.
They then fleered S. E. for a confiderable way without
* It may fie neceflary to inform the reader, that, ifl'this and the ttoo
following chapters,, fome cir’cümftances are ööcafiöhall.y omitted, which
are to be found in the original. Thefe omiffions relate chiefly to the
names of fome of the partners engaged in the equipments, and to a detail
of immaterial occurrences prior to thé attüal dCparhlre o f thfc veflels.
difcovering