erew who had been fent out in two baidars, ha«l
found means to overpower the remainder and to deftroy
the veffel. From the name o f the Kamtchadal they concluded
that this muft have been another veffel fitted out
by Nikiphor Trapefnikoff and company,. of which no -
farther intelligence was ever received. Willing, to procure
farther intelligence, they endeavoured to perfuade
the Toigons to fend a party of their people to the above-
mentioned ifland ; but the latter excufed themfelves, on- ,
account of the great diitance and their dread of the:
Slanders.-
February 16, Solovioff fet out a fecond time for the
Weft end o f the ifland, where they had formerly taken
prifoner*. and afterwards fet at liberty,- the 'Foigon o f
Sedak. From thence he proceeded to Ikolga, which-
lies on the bay, and coniifts o f only-one hut. On the
26th -he came to Takamitka, where there is likewdfe
only one hut on a point of land by the fide o f a rivulet,-
which falls from the mountains into the fea. > Here he
met with Korovin, in wbofe company he cut the blubber
of a whale, which the waves had caft on fliore; after
this Korovin went acrofs the gulph to Umnak,, and he
proceeded to Ikaltfhinfk, where on the 9th one of his
party was carried off by ficknefs.
March 15 he -returned to the haven, having met with
no oppofition from the illanders during this excurfion.
On
On his return he found one of the crew dead, and a
dreadful feurvy raging amongft the reft; of that diftem-
per five Ruffians died in March, eight and a Kamtchadal
in April, and fix more in May. About this time the Slanders
were obferved to pay frequent vifits to the hoftages ;.
and upon enquiring privately into the. reafon, fome of
the latter difcovered, that the inhabitants of Makuffiinfk
had formed the defign of. cutting off the crew,/and of.
making themfelves matters of the veffel. Solovioff had;
now great reaibns to be apprehenfive, for the crew were
afflidted with the feurvy to fuch a violent degree, that out
o f the whole number only twelve perfons were capable
of defending themfelves. Thefe cir.cumftances did not
efcape the ohfervation o f the natives-; and they were accordingly
infpired with frefh. courage to renew their
hoftilitiesv
On the 27th of May the Ruffians perceived the T.oigon
of Itchadak,... who had. formerly paid a voluntary tribute,
near the Chore : he was accompanied by feveral.iflanders
in three baidars. . Solovioff calling to him by the interpreter
he came on Chore, but kept at a diftance defiring
a conference with fome of his relations. Solovioff gave
orders to feize him ; and they were lucky enough to take
him prifoner, together with two of his companions. He
immediately confeffed, - that he had come with a view of
enquiring of the hoftages how many Ruffians were ftill.
remaining : having procured the neceffary . intelligence,
his