The Nati«
attack the
Ruffians,
are defeat«
to Kamtchatka, and was baptized by the name of Alex«
ander Popoff, being then about thirteen years of. age.
For fome days after this conference the iflanders came off
in companies of five, ten, twenty, and thirty: they
were admitted on board in fmall numbers, and kindly
received, but with a proper degree o f circumfpe&ion.
On the 8th of September the veflel- was brought fur*
ther up the creek without unloading her cargo : and on
the 9th Glottoff with ten men proceeded to a village* on
the fliore about tv’o hundred yards from the veflel,
where the natives had begun to refide: it confifted of
three fummer-huts covered only with long grafs: they
were from eight to ten yards broad, twelve long, and
about four high : they faw there about an hundred men,
but neither women nor children.
Finding it impoflible to perfuade the favages to give
hoftages, Glottoff refolved to let his people remain together,
and to keep a ftrong guard.
The iflanders vifited them flill in fmall bodies; it was
however more and more vifible that their intentions were
-*5 bad.' At laft on the iff o f OCtober, by day break, a
but great number having aflembled together in the remote
parts of the ifland, came unexpectedly acrofs the country.
They approached very near without being difco-
vered by the watch, and feeing nobody on deck but thofe
on
on duty, fhot fuddenly into the veflel with arrows, The
watch found refuge behind the quarter boards, and gave
the alarm without firing. Glottoff immediately ordered
a volley to be fired over their heads with fmall arms;
upon which they immediately returned with great expedition.
As foon as it was day there was no enemy to be
feen : but they difcovered a number of ladders, feveral
bundles of hay in which the favages had put fulphur,
likewife a quantity of birch-tree bark, which had been
left behind in their precipitate flight.
They now found it very neceffary to be on their guard
againft the attempts of thefe perfidious incendiaries.
Their fufpicions were flill further increafed by the fubfe-
quent conduCt of the natives : for though the latter came
to the veflel in fmall bodies, yet it was obferved that they
examined every thing, and more particularly the watch,
with the ftriCfeft attention; and they always returned
without paying any regard to the friendly propofitions
of the Ruffians.
On the 4th of Otflober about two hundred iflanders
made their appearance, carrying wooden fhields before
them, and preparing with bows and arrows for an attack.
Glottoff endeavoured at firft by perfuafion to prevail
upen them to defift ; but obferving that they flill continued
advancing,, he refolved to venture a fally. This intrepidity