Page:Voyages in the Northern Pacific - 1896.djvu/48

30 there were two large ships hauled on shore, undergoing some repairs; two large sloops ready for sea, and two gun-boats; a ship of 400 tons, which they had built here, was trading on the coast for furs; and a large brig and schooner trading on California. The Americans were very friendly with us, often spending their evenings on board. During our stay, we were well supplied with salmon, hallibut, and wild fowl.

It is the custom of Governor Baranoff to make his visitors drunk, when they dine with him. On these occasions he will commence firing guns, which must be answered by the ships, and I have often been obliged to fire upwards of fifty guns in a day. The governor dined on board once with his suite, and seemed much pleased with our boarding defence. The Russians have a fine fort on a high rock, mounting about sixty guns, and well calculated to defend them from the Indians; a good ship would, however, soon destroy it. They have also blockhouses, and a town of about sixty houses, a church, ship-yard, etc., and about 100 Russians, chiefly convicts from Siberia. They employ a great number of Kodiac and Oonalaska Indians to hunt the sea-otter and man their ships; they also hire American ships to take Indians and canoes to California, where the sea-otters are very plentiful, for the capture of which they allow the ships a certain proportion. They have also several hostages from the tribe about the Sound, and will not allow a canoe to come near the fort, without bringing a handsome present; they have a look-out house on the top