34 



ACCOUNT OF THE 



the Ruffians, they took their leave. Soon after their de- 

 parture, TfiuprofF, Shaffyrin, and NevodfikofF, accompanied 

 with feven of the crew, went after them, and found them 

 among the rocks. In this interview the natives behaved 

 in the moft friendly manner, and exchanged a baidar and 

 fome Ikins for two fhirts. They were obferved to have 

 hatchets of fharpened ftone, and needles made of bone : 

 they lived upon the fiefli of fea-otters, feals, and fea- 

 lions, which they killed with clubs and bone lances. 



So early as the 24th of OcSlober, TfiuprofF had fent 

 ten perfons, under the command of Larion Belay efF, upon 

 a reconnoitring party. The latter treated the inhabitants 

 in an hoftile manner ; upon which they defended them- 

 felves as well as they could with their bone lances. This 

 reliftance gave him a pretext for firing ; and accordingly 

 he fliot the whole number, amounting to fifteen men, 

 in order to get at their wives. 



Shekurdin, fhocked at thefe cruel proceedings, re- 

 tired ur.i)erceived to the fhip, and brought an account of 

 all that had pafFed. TfiuprofF, inftead of punifliing thefe 

 cruelties as they deferved, was fecretly pleafed with them ; 

 for he himfelf was affronted at the iflanders for having 

 refufed to give him an iron bolt, which he faw in their 

 pofFeffion. He had, in confequence of their refufal, 

 committed feveral ails of hoflilities againfl them ; and 

 had even formed the horrid delign of poifoning 

 ihem with a mixture of corrofive fublimate. In order 



however 



