They had not long failed, before they were driven back
to the Ihore of Kamtchatka by ftrefs of weather, and the
veliel ftranded; by which accident they loft the rudder
add one of the crew. This misfortune prevented them
from putting to fea.again until the following year, with
thirty-nine of the original crew, feveral perfons being
left behind on account of ficknefs. They made diredtly
to Beefing’s Ifland, where they took up two of Krafilni-
koff’s crew*, who had been Ihipwrecked. They again
fet fail in Auguft of the fame year, and touched at the
neareft Aleutian Hies, after fuffering greatly from ftorms.
They then continued their courfe to the remoter iflands
lying between Eaft and South Eaft ; and having paffed
by the firft, they anchored before the fecond. A boat
being immediately fent out towards the Ihore, the crew
was. attacked by a numerous body of iflanders in fo hidden
a manner, that they had fcarcely time to fecure them-
felves by returning to the veflel. They had no fooner
got aboard, than a violent gale of wind blowing from the
Ihore broke the cable, and drove them out to fea. The
weather became fudderily thick and foggy.; and under
stiipwjccked thefe circumftances the velfel was forced upon a fmall
the Fox ifland at no great diftance from the other, and fliip-
wrecked. The crew got to Ihore with difficulty, and
were able to fave nothing but the fire-arms and ammunition.
* See chap. IV.
They
They had fcarcely got to land, before they were befet
by a number of favages, rowing in baidars from the
Weftern point of the ifland. This attack was the more
to be dreaded, becaufe feveral of the Ruffians were dif-
abled by cold and w et; and there remained only fifteen
capable of defending themfelves. They advanced however
without hefitation to the iflanders; and one Nicholas
Tftuproff (who had a flight knowledge of,, their
language) accoftecl and endeavoured to footh them, but
without fuccefs. For upon their approach the favages
gave A hidden fliout, and faluting them at the fame time
with a volley of darts, wounded one perfon in the hand.
Upon this the Ruffians fired, killed two of the aflailants,
and forced the remainder to retire : and although a freffi
body appeared in fight, as if they were coming to the
affiftance of their companions, yet no new attack was
made. Soon afterwards the favages left the ifland, and
rowed acrofs the ftrait.
From the 6th of September to the 33d of April, they
underwent all the extremities of famine : during that period
their beft fare was fhell-fiih and roots; and they
were even at times reduced to ftill the cravings of their
appetite with the leather, which the waves waflied afhore
from the wreck. Seventeen died of hunger, and the reft
would fooo have followed their companions, i f they had
not fortunately difcovered a dead whale, which the fea
had call: afliore. They remained upon this ifland another
I 3 winter,