September 15, when every thing was prepared for
wintering, Korovin and BarnafliefF fet out in two baidars,
each with nine men and one of the hoftages, who had
a flight knowledge o f the Ruffian language. They
went along the Northern coaft of the ifland, towards
its Weftern extremity, in order to hunt, and to enquire
after a certain interpreter called Kafhmak, who had been'
employed by Glottoff on a former occafion. Having
rowed about twenty verfts, they pafied by a village,
and landed at another which lay about five verfts further.
But as the number of inhabitants feemed to
amount to two hundred, they durft not venture to the
dwellings, but ftayed by the baidar. Upon this the
Toigon of the place came to them, with his wife and
fon: he lhewed a tribute-quittance, and delivered his
fon, a boy of thirteen years of age and whom Korovin
called Stepanka, as an hoftage, for which he received a
prefent of corals.
They rowed now further to a third village, about
fifteen verfts from the former, where they found the
interpreter Kaffimak; the latter accompanied them to
the two Toigons, who gave them a friendly reception,
and ffiewed their tribute-quittances. A few natives only
made their appearance ; the others, as the Toigons pretended,
were gone out to fiffi. The next morning each
Toigon gave a boy as an hoftage; one of the boys Korovin
called Gregory, and the other Alexey. The Ruffians
fians were detained there two days by a violent ftorm ;
during which time a letter from Medvedeff was brought
by an Aleutian, and an anfwer was returned by the fame
perfon. The ftorm at length fomewhat abating, they
rowed back to the next village, where they continued
two nights without any apprehenfions from the favages.
At length Korovin returned in fafety with the hoftages
to the crew.
In the beginning of October they built a winter-hut,
partly of wood and partly of feal-fkins, and made all
the neceflary preparations for hunting. On the 14th,
two companies, each confifting of eleven men, were fent
out upon an hunting party to the Eaftern point of the
ifland; they returned in four days with hoftages.
About fixty verfts from the haven, they had met a.
party o f twenty-five Ruffians, commanded by Drufinin.
About the fame time fome Toigons brought a prefent o f
fturgeon and whale’s blubber, and received in return
fome beads and provifion.
Korovin and his company now thought themielves-
fecure ; for which reafon twenty-three men, under the.
command of the above-mentioned Barnalheff, were dif-
patched in two baidars upon an hunting party towards
the Weftern point of the ifland. Eight muikets were,
diftributed to each boat, a piftol and a lance to each.
Builds an Hur7 and makes
Preparations
for Wintering.
man,