232 APPENDIX TO CASE OP GREAT BRITAIK 



prise wliicli attbrded an opportunity of attempting the same tiling as a 

 national measure; for the two ships we have mentioned above were 

 dispatched almost immediately after the return of Lieutenant Kotzebue. 



It had been the intention of Count Romanzoff to equip an expedition 

 to explore the North-west Passage by Hudson's Bay or Davis' Strait; 

 but on finding that preparations were making in England to attempt 

 it by that route, he determined on x^rosecuting the discovery from the 

 eastward. For this purpose he caused a ship of 180 tons to be built of 

 fir at Abo, to which he gave the name of "Rurick." Her establish- 

 ment consisted of Lieutenant Kotzebue, Lieutenant Schischmarefit", two 

 mates, M. A. von Chamisso, of Berlin, naturalist, Dr. Eschholz, surgeon, 

 M. Choris, ])ainter, and twenty men; and, to the credit of the com- 

 mander, it may be mentioned that, after a navigation of three years in 

 very opposite climates, and in so small a vessel, he lost one man only, 

 who left the Baltic in a consumption. 



The "Rurick " sailed from Plymouth in October 1815, and on the 28th: 

 March had reached that solitary spot in the midst of the Great Pacific 

 which bears the name of Zeapy, but which is better known as Easter 

 Isliind. Some of the natives swam oft' to the "Rurick" with yams,, 

 taro roots, and bananas, which they gave in exchange for bits of iron, 

 hoops. As the boats approached the shore they began to assemble in 

 great numbers, and though unarmed, aud apparently desirous of the 

 strangers landing, they were thought to exhibit a terrific and hostile' 

 appearance, having painted their faces red, white, and black, and mak- 

 ing all manner of violent gestures, accompanied with a most horrible 

 noise. This was soon ascertained to be the .case, and the boats were 

 repelled from the shore by volleys of stones. This conduct, so contrary 

 to their former practice, was afterwards fully explained to Lieutenant 

 Kotzebue when at the Sandwich Islands. 



An American, who commanded a schooner called the " Nancy," from 

 New London, having discovered avast multitude of seals on the- 

 17 little uninhabited island of Massafuero, to the west of Juam 

 Fernandez, thought it would be an excellent speculation to estab- 

 lish a Colony there in order to carry on the fishery. For this i)urpose, 

 having but just sufficient hands to navigate his ship, and there being 

 no anchorage off the island, the wretch (base and brutal beyond the' 

 ordinary degree of such characters) proceeded to Easter Island, and 

 landing at Cook's Bay, succeeded in seizing and carrying oft' twelve' 

 men and ten women, to people his new Colony. For the first three" 

 days they were confined in irons; when fairly out of sight of land, how- 

 ever, they were released, and the first use made by the males of their 

 liberty was to jump overboard, choosing rather to perish in the waves; 

 than to be carried away they knew not whither, or for what purpose. 

 The women, who were with difficulty restrained from following them,, 

 were taken to Massafuera; what became of them afterwards Lieutenant! 

 Kotzebue does not inform us, and we fear to guess. 



On the 16th April they descried a small island, probably the Dog 

 Island of Schouten, but which, dift'ering 22 miles in latitude from that 

 given by him, Kotzebue is pleased to call Doubtful Island; and on the 

 19th they discovered another snmll island, covered with majestic cocoa- 

 nut trees, to which he gave the name of Romanzoft". It had no inhab- 

 itants, but boats and deserted huts were visible on the shore. Tiiis new 

 discovery so delighted our young navigator that, inconsiderable as he 

 I'elt it to be, " 1 would not," lie says, "have resigned the pure and heart- 

 felt joy which it gave me for the treasures of the world." 



