120 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



The fact was lliat the natives, incensed by the numerous raids, wei-e using their 

 guns fieely during 1881. Thus, earlier in the season the Annie Cashman, of San Fran- 

 cisco, went to Copper Island, and Mr. E. P. Miner states (Fur Seal Arb., vni, p. 701): 



We lauded theio oue clear day, and iu lA hours took 250 seals, and had theui all on board before 

 the natives came to where we were. We went away then, but came back the next night. We were 

 fired on by the natives, and did not land. 



It went particularly hard with the British schooner JHaiui, sailing from Yokohama 

 earlier in the sea.son. She had been raiding various rookeries on the Kuril Islands 

 and flually went to Copper Island, where she came to grief. She anchored ort' Zapa- 

 lata and a boat was immediately sent ashore. They did not reach it, however, for 

 behind the rocks a large band of natives, under command of tlie kossak, Selivanof, 

 weie lying in wait. When the boat was well within range, the kossak gave the 

 signal and a complete rain of bullets struck the unfortunate boat. One man was 

 killed, one severely wounded, and the boat, nearly sinking, made the schooner with 

 the greatest ditjfieulty. It is said that fully 300 sliots were fired by the natives. The 

 Diana, now severely crippled, sought safety in flight, but on the way to Petro- 

 paulski unfortunately fell iu with a Itussian man-ofwar^ — the Sfrclok, if I remember 

 rightly. The suspicion of the ccmimander was aroused, an investigation made, which 

 resulted in the imprisonment of the crew and the confiscation of the vessel, iu spite 

 of the plea of the captain that no raid was intended and that the boat was sent ashore 

 only to take water, of which the schooner was short. 



The case was made the subject of diplomatic correspondence between (Ireat 

 Britain and Russia, and the latter power sent a revisor to Co])per Island in 1882 to 

 investigate the matter. His report was favorable to the natives, no doubt, for the 

 Russian Government, in recognition of their meritorious conduct, invested the native 

 chief of Copper Island with a silver-laced kaftan, while Selivanof was promoted to be 

 a sergeant and a beautiful Toledo blade was presented to him upon Mhich was engraved 

 a suitable inscription commemorative of the occasion. 



It was plain that something would have to be done to check this growing evil, 

 which had already been assuming alarming proportions, but the authorities were 

 puzzled how to proceed effectively. One or two large war vessels were already patrol- 

 ling the region, but their service was very ineffective, as they did not take the risk of 

 going clo.se under the foggy and dangerous coasts of the islands. It was thought, 

 however, that strict regulations for the whole traffic of trading and hunting in Russian 

 waters, which would leave the schooners no excuses or technical looj) holes, would deter 

 the marauders, especially iu view of the ])ast exjyerience, and seeing that the Russian 

 Government was iu earnest in backing up the natives in their defense of the rookeries. 

 A proclamation was therefore prepared and issued, first by the Russian consul at 

 Yokohama and afterwards also by the Russian consul in San Francisco, the publica- 

 tion being specifically authorized by the Imperial Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

 The consular warning was as follows : 



KOTICE. 



At the request of the local authorities of Bering and other islands, the undersigned hereby 

 notifies that the Russian Imperial Government publishes, for general knowledge, the following: 



1. Without a special iiermit or license from the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia, foreign 

 vessels are not allowed to carry on trading, hunting, fishing, etc., on the Russian coast or islands iu 

 the Okhotsk and Bering ."^cas or on the northeastern coast of Asia, or within their sea boundary line. 



2. Foi such permits or licenses foreign vessels should apply to Vladivostok, exclusively. 



