i 2th of December the inhabitants of the different iflands
aflembled in great numbers, and attacked them by land
and fea. They' informed Polofkoff, by means of the
interpreters, that the Ruffians whom he had fent to
the neighbouring iflands were killed; that the two
veflels at Umnak and Unalafhka were plundered, and
the crew put to death ; and that they were now come
to make him and his party fhare the fame fate. The
Ruffian fire-arms however kept them in due refpect;
and towards evening they difperfed. The fame night
the interpreter deferted, probably at the inftigation of
his countrymen, who neverthelefs killed him, as it was
faid, that winter.
January 16, the favages ventured to make a fecond
attack. Having furprifed the guard by night, they tore
off the roof of the Ruffian dwelling, and fhot down
into the hut, making at the fame time great outcries :
by this unexpected aflault four Ruffians were killed,
and three wounded; but the furvivors no fooner had
recourfe to their fire-arms, than the enemy was driven
to flight. Meanwhile another body of the natives attempted
to feize the two veflels, but without fuccefs;
they however cut off the party o f fix men left by Polofkoff
at Akutan, together with the five hunters dif-
patched to the contiguous iflands, and two of Popoff’s
crew who were at the Weftermoft part of Unalafhka.
Polofkoff
Polofkoff continued upon Akun in great danger until
the 2Qth of February when, the wounded being recovered,
he failed over with a fair wind to Popoff’s vef-
fel at Unalafhka ; and on the xoth of May returned to-
Otcheredin.
In April Popoff’s veflel being got ready for the voy-
age, all the hoftages,- whofe number amounted to forty,,
were delivered to Otcheredin. July the 30th a veflel
belonging to the fame Popoff arrived from Beering’s
Ifland, and caft anchor in the fame bay where Otchere-
din’s la y ; and both crews entered into an agreement:
to fliare in common the profits- of hunting,. Strengthened
by this alliance, Otcheredin prevailed upon a number
of the inhabitants to pay tribute.. Auguft the 22d.
Otcheredin’s mate was fent with fix boats and fifty-
eight men to hunt upon Unalafhka and Akutan; and.
there remained thirty men with the veflels in the har--
bour, who kept conftant watch..
Soon afterwards Otcheredin and the other commander otcheredin rereceived
a letter from Levafheff Captain Lieutenant Qjp count of Le-
# ' . ' vafliefPs A r—
the Imperial fleet, who accompanied Captain Krenitzin Uaa'~
in the fecret expedition to thofe iflands.. The letter
was dated September 1 1 , 1768 : it informed them he-
was arrived at Unalafhka in the St. Paul, and lay at:
anchor in the fame bay in which KulkofPs. veflel had:
Y been;