322 v First Voijage round the World 



Ochotzk, it was still more so to the islands and the coast 

 of America. The ignorance of the greater part of the 

 commanders, and the stormy nature of these seas, which 

 renders it dangerous during the greater part of the year for 

 such vessels to navigate in them, occasioned .every year the 

 loss of a great many ships and of the valuable cargoes with 

 which they were laden 5 even at present no intelligence has 

 been received these three years from Kodiak, and therefore 

 it is not impossible that the vessels expected from that 

 place have perished. 



This trade, however, which, notwithstanding difficulties 

 that might have discouraged a nation possessed of a less* 

 enterprising spirit than the Russians, produces great profit 

 to those engaged in it, and would no doubt be attended 

 with still greater advantages, were these obstacles only in 

 part removed ; and since the fur trade has been carried on 

 not by individual merchants, but by a company, some mea- 

 sures have been adopted which cannot fail of having a very 

 happy influence on the progress of their commerce. The 

 company have taken into their service an Englishman, who 

 constructed on the coast of America a very tine ship, which 

 he commands himself, and who has entered into a contract 

 to build more. They supply the captains of their ships 

 with the best sea charts, the necessary mathematical and 

 astronomical instruments, the latest voyages, and the best 

 books which treat on the subject of navigation. But it 

 was only since the accession of the present emperor, who 

 interested himself in a particular manner for the success of 

 the American company, took a share in it, and encouraged 

 others to do the same, and on whose protection dependence 

 can be placed, that the company has exerted itself with 

 zeal and activity to give a new form to this trade, so long 

 and so much neglected. 



Nothing therefore was more natural than that their first 

 object should be to supply with the necessary stores and 

 provisions those colonies which were first established, and 

 which, in an inhospitable country destitute of every thing, 

 must soon have fallen to ruin ; to place them in a proper 

 state of defence against the attacks of the natives, to which 

 they are so much exposed ; to procure to their agents better 

 means for building ships ', to supply them with good tackle, 

 anchors and cables ; and to give them more skillful com*, 

 manders and more expert seamen. 



In the month of March last year, when the emperor granted 

 permission to the officers and sailors of his navy to serve on 

 board merchant ships, the company engaged a very expert na- 



vigator> 



