262 APPENDIX TO CASE OP GREAT BRITAIN. 



field-pieces in safety. In this aftaiv, out of my own ship alone, a Lieutenant, a 

 Master's Mate, a Surgeon's Mate, a Quartermaster, and ten sailors of the sixteen who 

 accompanied them, were wounded, and two killed; and if I had not covered this 

 unfortunate retreat with my cannon, not a man would probably have been saved. 

 The Russians finally prevailed, by the superiority of their artillery, and this was the 

 closing scene. 



When morning came I observed a great number of crows hovering about the Set- 

 tlement. I sent on shore to ascertain tlie cause of this, and the messenger returned 

 with news that the natives had quitted the fort during the night, leaving in it alive 

 only two old women and a little boy. It appears that, judging of us by themselves, 

 they imagined that we were capable of the same pertidiousuess and cruelty, and that 

 if they had come out openly in their boats, as had been proposed, we should have 

 fallen on them in revenge for their past behaviour. They had, therefore, preferred 

 running into th(i woods, leaving many things behind, which, from their haste, they 

 had been unable to take away. 



It was on the 8th that the fate of Sitka Fort was decided. After evei-y thing that 

 could be of use was removed out of it, it was burned to the ground. Upon mj' enter- 

 ing it before it was set on lire, what anguish did I feel when I saw, like a second 

 massacre of innocents, numbers of young children lying together murdered, lest their 

 cries, if they had been borne away with their cruel parents, should have led to a dis- 

 coverj- of the retreat to which they were Hying. O, man, man! of what cruelties is 

 not thy nature, civilized or uncivilized, capable? 



Whether M. Lisiansky means this exclamation for the invaders or 

 their victims does not appear. • 



Lisiansky adds, "We have reason to believe, from information we 

 obtained, that the chief canse of their flight Avas the Avant of powder 

 ami ball; and tliat if these had not failed them, they wonld have 

 defended themselves to the last extremity.'' Sucli we know to have 

 been the fact, and bnt for this they would, with a heroism worthy a 

 better fate, have perished in defending their invaded riglits. 



The writer was at that time near the scene of these transac- 



38 tions, and received from tlie Indians daily accounts of passing 

 events. Tliey were in substance much the same as those given 

 by Lisiansky, Avith this addition, that having so often experienced the 

 jjcrlidy and cruelty of the Russians, they i)laced no confidence in any 

 promises made by tliem, and well knew that slavery must follow sub- 

 mission. Finding themselves without means of defence, they deter- 

 mined to abandon their country, retreat into the interior, and thus pre- 

 serve their independence by the sacrifice of their possessions. Those 

 who were too old or too young to sui)port the fatigues and sufferings of 

 the contemplated journey were disi)atched on the spot, "and," added 

 the Chief who gave this account, " their innocent blood he on the heads of 

 those wlio caused the deed.'''' We shall offer no apology for introducing 

 the following anecdote as a further illustration of the character of these 

 people. 



in the summer of 1804 several tribes collected at "N ass," where a 

 sort of fair is annually held. At this time an affray took place between 

 individuals of the Oockalane tribe, who reside on the main, near the 

 entrance of Observatory Inlet, and of the Skettageets tribe, M^ho inhabit 

 the opposite shores of Queen Charlotte's Islands, in which Cockalane, 

 the great Cliief of his nation, was unfortunately killed. In the course 

 of the following winter, when the inclemency of the season ])revented 

 all intercourse between the Lidiansof the nn^in and thoseof the islands, 

 the Avriter visited Skettageets. Inquiry being made by the Chiefs 

 resi)ecting the intentions of the Cockalane tribe, they were told that 

 early in the spiing the iriends of the deceased Chief were determined 

 to attack them with an irresistible I'orce, and destroy the whole Sket- 

 tageets nation. Elsworsh, a distinguished young Chief, heard this 

 account Avitli great calmness, and expressed doubts of the ability of 

 their enemies to execute these threats. Being assured that they were 



