NOTES ON THE KURIL ISLANDS, 



By captain H. J. SNOW, F.R.G.S., 



HOLDER OF GRAM AKD DIPLOMA FOUKDED BY ADMIRAL BACK, 



I. 



HISTORY OF THE OCCUPATION OF THE ISLANDS. 



The Kuril Islands were discovered by De Vrees, a Dutch navigator, 

 in 1634. They are also said to have been discovered in 1654 by 

 a merchant named Taras Stadukin, who sailed from the Kolyma 

 River. He passed through Bering Strait, and followed the coast 

 of Kamchatka, doubling the southernmost cape, and making the 

 discovery of the Kurils. 



In 1711 the Russians first invaded the islands, and in 1736 all 

 these to the north of Yetorup became subject to Russia. 



In 1738 Spanberg sailed with three small vessels to examine 

 the Kurils, and wintered in Kamchatka. 



In 1766-7 a voyage was made amongst them to collect a fur-tax, 

 and in 1705 the Russian-American Company established a factory 

 on Urup. 



Towards the end of the eighteenth century the Japanese 

 established themselves on Yetorup, and in 1806-7 the Russians 

 made descents on that island. 



In November, 1830, the Russian- American Company took 

 formal possession of the Kurils. 



In 1875 all the Kurils north of Yetorup were handed over to 

 Japan by Russia, in exchange for the southern part of Saghalin. 



In 1884 the Japanese government removed the few remaining 

 Kurilsky Ainu to the island of Shikotan, thus leaving the islands 

 from Urup to Shumshir without a single inhabitant. 



B 



