Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 3.djvu/197

172 1794. June.

fiances would permit him fo to do, in the hope of his being able to acquire fome g(X)graphical Information from the Ruffians eftabiifhed in that place, whofe iiabitation in the morning of the 7th they found fituated in the north-well part of thai port. Here they were received by the principal pcrfon, Mr. Peter Colomenee, with e ery mark of polite cordiality that might have been expetUd from a perfon in his fituation, and intrufted with the {lire61ion of an exte nhve commercial eftablilhment. Mr. Colo- menee inflantly conducled tiie party to the Ruffian refidence, which in mod refpcfts refembled that which I had vifited in Cook's inlet, though on a finaller fcale. Ihis however was better defended, as a galiot of about feventy tons burthen was hauled on ffiore, placed ereft, and formed nearly one fide of the fquare, within which their houfes were built ; the whole of which it overlooked, and commanded the adjacent country, which is a low narrow peninfula, to a confiderable diflance round. On board this veffel fome Ruffians well armed conftantly re- fided, and on her decks ferae fwivel and carriage guns were mounted ; and three of the latter were alfo feen at the entrance of the large com;- mon dwelling-houfe. Here they were feated to breakfaft, confifting of boiled feals' fleffi, train oil, and a few boiled eggs, ferved up with a de- gree of neatnefs correfpondent to the delicacy of the articles of which the rcpaft was compofed. The Ikin and mod of the huir were flill ad- hering to the flefh of the feal, and the other articles not being very inviting to perfons accuflomed to a different diet, Mr. Johnftone begged leave to add their portion of chocolate, beef and bread, to the breakfaft, which was readily admitted, and to which their Ruffian hofl did ample juftire.

Mr. Johnftone obfervcd, that there were only a few Indians in the neighbourhood of this Rttlement, but is of opinion that they have a confiderable village at the head of (he port. The Ruffians were laid to amount to an hundred, who, with thofe eflablifhed in the upper parts of Cook's inlet, under Mr. Zikoff, were in the intereft of one particular company of merchants, dillinft from thofe under the direction oi Mr. Berrenoff, who they now underflood refided chiefly at the Kodiak ; that his party extended their traffic principally along the exterior coail of