1 58 
became familiar to them. The adventurers were often absent for 
several years on a single cruise, wintering at some island and eventually, 
when in luck, returning with their accumulated furs to Kamtschatka or 
to Okotsk. Very frequently they were shipwrecked, and not one but 
several cases are known in which, like Behring's crew, the shipwrecked 
men reconstructed a vessel from the poor debris of that which had been 
cast away and in it returned to the Siberian coast. But whole crews 
often sailed never to be heard of again, or to be heard of only by sub- 
sequent voyagers as having been r^.asacred by the natives. 
The adventurers were both hunters and traders. They engaged 
themselves in the capture of sea-otters, foxes and other valuable skins 
and besides obtained them by barter from the natives. Under the 
guise of rendering these people subsidary to Russia, they also exacted a 
tribute of furs from them ; taking as much as they could and giving in 
return merely a paper receipt to the effect that tribute had been paid 
for the current year. 
Coxe briefly describes the method of trade as follows: "The 
Russians have for some years past been accustomed to repair 
to these islands, [the Aleutians,] in quest of furs, of which they have im- 
posed a tax on the inhabitants. The manner of carrying 
on this trade is as follows. The Russians go in autumn to Behring's island 
and there winter : they then employ themselves in catching the sea-cat, 
and afterwards the Seivutcha, or Sea-lion. The flesh of the otter is 
prepared for food and is esteemed very delicate. They carry the skins 
of these animals to the Eastern islands. Next summer they sail east- 
ward to the Fox Islands ; and again lay their ships up for the winter. 
They then endeavor to procure, either by persuasion or force, the child- 
ren of the inhabitants, particularly of the Tookoos, as hostages. This 
being accomplished, they deliver to the inhabitants fox-traps, and also 
skins for their boats, for which they expect in return furs and provisions 
during the winter. After obtaining from them a certain quantity of furs, 
by way of tax, for which they give quittances ; the Russians pay for the 
rest in beads, false pearls, goats wool, copper kettles, hatchets, etc. In 
the spring they get back their traps, and deliver up their hostages. They 
