difcovering any new iflands; and, being in great want
of provifions, returned into Kamtchatka River, Auguft
14, with a cargo of 350 old fea-otter-fkins, above lo o
young ones, 148 petfi or ardtic fox-fkins, which were all
flain upon Beering’s Illand.
We have no fufficient account of WfevidofF’s voyage.
All that is known amounts only to this, that he returned
the 25th of July, 1749, after having probably touched
upon one of the neareft Aleutian Illes which was uninhabited
: his cargo conlifted of the fkins of 1040 fea-
otters, and 2000 ardtic foxes.
ISn°Yu< Emilian Yugoff, a merchant of Yakutfk, obtained from
the fenate of St. Peterfburg the permiffion of fitting out
four veffels for himfelf and his affociates. He procured, at
the fame time, the exclufive privilege of hunting fea-
otters upon Beering’s and Copper Ifland during thefe
expeditions ; and for this monopoly he agreed to deliver
to the cuftoms the tenth of the furs.
Odtober 6, x 7 5 o, he put to fea from Bolcherefk, in
the floop John, manned with twenty-five Ruffians and
Kamtchadals, and two Coffacs : he was foon overtaken
by a ftorm, and the veffel driven on fhore between the
mouths of the riyers Kronotfk and Tfchafminfk.
Odtober 17 5 1 , he again fet fail. He had been commanded
to take on board fome officers of the Ruffian
2 navy;
navy; and, as he difobeyed this injundtion, the chancery
of Irkutfk iffued an order to confifcate his fhip and cargo
upon his return. The fhip returned on the 2 2d of July,
1754, to New Kamtchatkoi Oftrog, laden with the fkins
of 755 old fea-otters, of 35 cub fea-otters, of 447 cubs
of fea-bears, and of 7044 ardtic fox-fkins: of the
latter 2000 were white, and 1765 black. Thefe furs
were procured upon Beering’s and Copper Ifland. Yu-
goff himfelf died upon the laft-mentioned ifland. The
cargo of the fhip was, according to the-above-mentioned
order, fealed and properly fecured. But as it appeared-
that certain perfons had depofited money in Yugoff’s
hand, for the purpofe of equipping a fecond veffel, the
crown delivered up the confifcated cargo, after referving
the third part according to the original flipulation.
This kind of charter-company, if it may be fo called,-
being foon dilfolved for mifcondudf and want of fufficient
ftock, other merchants were allowed the privilege of fitting
out veffels, even before the return of Yugoff’s fhip;
and thefe perfons were more fortunate in making new
difcoveries than the above-mentioned monopolift.
Nikiphor Trapefnikoff, a merchant of Irkutfk, ob- Voyage o f the
tained the permiffion of fending out a fhip, called the
Boris and Glebb, upon the condition of paying, befides
the tribute which might be exacted, the tenth of all the
furs. The Coffac Sila Sheffyrin went on board this
veffel