1779. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 32Q 



from thence, levying a tribute in furs, in his progress 

 crossed over to the river Kamtschatka, on which he 

 built the higher Kamtschatka ostrog, called Verchnei, 

 where he left a garrison of sixteen Cossacks, and re- 

 turned to Jakutsk in 1700, with an immense quantity 

 of rare and valuable tributary furs. These he had 

 the good sense and policy to accompany to Moscow, 

 and, in recompence for his services, was appointed 

 commander of the fort of Jakutsk, with farther orders 

 to repair again to Kamtschatka, having first drawn 

 from the garrison at Tolbolsk a reinforcement of a 

 hundred Cossacks, with ammunition, and whatever 

 else could give efficacy to the completion and settle- 

 ment of his late discoveries. Advancing with this 

 force toward the Anadirsk, he fell in with a bark on 

 the river # Tunguska, laden with Chinese merchan- 

 dize, which he pillaged ; and, in consequence of a 

 remonstrance from the sufferers to the Russian court, 

 he was seized upon at Jakutsk, and thrown into 

 prison. 



In the mean time, Potop Serioukoff, who had been 

 left by Atlassoff kept peaceable possession of the 

 garrison of Verchnei ; and though he had not a suf- 

 ficient force to compel the payment of a tribute from 

 the natives, yet, by his management and conciliating 

 disposition, he continued to carry on an advantageous 

 traffic with them as a merchant. On his return to 

 the Anadirsk, with the general good-will of the na- 

 tives of Kamtschatka, himself and party were attacked 

 by the Koriacs, and unfortunately all cut off. This 

 happened about 1703 ; and several other successive 

 commissaries were sent into Kamtschatka, with 

 various success, during the disgrace and trial of 

 Atlassoff. 



In 1706, Atlassoff was reinstated in his command, 

 and appointed to conduct a second expedition into 

 Kamtschatka, with instructions to gain upon the na- 



* This river empties itself into the Jenesei. 



