THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 217 



being convinced, that they were giving away, not a fhare, 1779- 



but almoft the whole ftock of the garrifon. The conftant ' ' 



anfwer the Major returned us, on thofe occafions, was, that 

 we had fufFered a great deal, and that we rauft needs be in 

 diftrefs. Indeed, the length of time we had been out, fince 

 we touched at any known port, appeared to them fo very in- 

 credible, that it required the teftimony of our maps, and 

 other corroborating circumftances, to gain their belief. 

 Amongft the latter was a very curious fact which Major 

 Behm related to us this morning, and which, he faid, but 

 for our arrival, he fhould have been totally at a lofs to ac- 

 count for. 



It is well known, that the Tfchutfki are the only people, 

 of the North of Afia, who have maintained their independ- 

 ence, and refilled all the attempts that have been made by 

 the Ruffians to reduce them. The laft expedition againft 

 them was undertaken in the year 1750, and terminated, 

 after various fuccefs, In the retreat of the Ruffian forces, 

 and the lofs of the commanding officer. Since that time, 

 the Ruffians had removed their frontier fortrefs from the 

 Anadyr to the Ingiga, a river that empties itfelf into the 

 Northern extremity of the fea of Okotfk, and gives its name 

 to a gulf, fuuated to the Weft of that of Penfhinfk. From 

 this fort, Major Behm had received dii'patches the day of our 

 arrival at Bolcheretik, containing intelligence, that a tribe, 

 or party, of the Tfchutfki, had arrived at that place with 

 proportions of friendfhip, and a voluntary offer of tribute ; 

 that on inquiring into the caufe of this unexpected altera- 

 tion in their fentiments, they had informed his people, that 

 toward the latter end of the laft fummer they had been vi- 

 fited by two very large Ruffian boats ; that they had been 



Vol. III. F f treated 



