260 APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



witli efjual justice complain of our furnisliing" the Chinese with furs as 

 "l)rejiidici;il to rights," which the^" Eussian-Americau Comi)any " seem 

 disposed to "reserve entirely" to themselves. 



The gentyal charge of ''exciting the natives to revoU against the 

 established authorities" may be sufficiently answered by as broad a 

 denial. The only specification we have met with is the following rela- 

 tion, given by the Knssian navigator Lisiansky, of the destruction of 

 tlie Settlement at Norfolk Sound in 1802 by the Sitka Indians: 



With so fair a face of i'rieudsliip no enmity could be suspected, and the fort was 

 occasionally left in a sort of unprotected state, the Aleutians and Russians being 

 engaged in hunting the sea-otter, or in the still more necessary business of procuring 

 a supply of provisioiiS for the winter. It was an opportunity of this nature which 

 the Sitcaus embraced for the execution of their nefarious plan; and so secret were 

 they in its management that, while some stole through the woods, others passed in 

 canoes by ditl'erent creeks to the place of rendezvous; they were about 600 in num- 

 ber, and all were provid(Hl with tire-arms. Thongli the attack was wholly unex- 

 pected, the few Russians in the fort courageously defended it. But vain was defence 

 against such numbers: it was quickly taken by storm. The assault commenced at 

 noon, and in a few hours the place M'as levelled to the ground. Among the assail- 

 ants were three seameu belonging to the United States, who, having deserted from 

 their ship, had entered into the service of the Russians, and then took part against 

 them. These double traitors were among the most active in the plot. They con- 

 trived combustible wads, which they lighted, and threw upon the buildings where 

 they knew the gunpowder was kept, which took tire and were blown up. Every 

 person who was found in the fort was put to death. 



M. Lisiansky does not favour us with his authority for implicating 

 the Americans in this transaction, of which we have received a very 

 different account from a source which leav^es not a doubt in our minds 

 of its authenticity, and which we subjoin to show that "foreign adven- 

 turers" have, contrary to the dictates of sound policy and their own. 

 interest, taken part with the Russians against the aboriginal luitives. 



The intolerable tyranny exercised by the Enssians over the Sitka 

 Indians in seizing their Cliiefs and loading them with irons on the most 

 frivolous pretences, in taking possession of their hunting-grounds, and. 

 attempting, by every means in their power, to subject them to the most 

 abject slavery, roused the indignation of that tribe, and they resolved 

 to destroy their oppressors, or i)erish in the attempt. Having by an 

 appearance of submission lulled the suspicions of the Russians, they 

 determined in the summer of 1802 to make the attack. At that time 

 there resided at the Russian Settlement six American seamen who had 

 deserted from the ship "Jenny," of Boston, and been secreted by the 

 Russians till after her departure. The seamen were invited by the 

 Indians to visit the village of Sitka, and, on arriving there, were informed 

 of the meditated attack, and their assistance solicited. This was^csir 

 tively refilled. They were then assured that no injury should be done 

 to them, whatever might be the event, but that they must remain at 

 the village under guaid till the event was known. The Indians suc- 

 ceeded in surprising and destroying the fort, and under the excitement 

 of the moment put to death every Russian whom they found. The 

 Aleutian women and some children who were living with the Russians 

 were made prisoners. A few days afterwards two American vessels 

 and one English entered Norfolk Sound. The Indians immediately 

 brought the six Americans on board in safety, but r<'fused to comi)ly 

 with a demand, made by the commanders of these vessels, for the Aleu- 

 tian women and other captives taken in the fort; and coercive measures 

 were finally resorted to, and hostilities commenced, by these "foieign 

 adventurers," to obtain the release of Russian subjects! This was 

 accomplished, and ui)wards of thirty individuals were received on 

 board, and carried in one of the vessels to the Russian Settlement at 



