ADDITIONAL FACTS RELATING TO THE RUSSIAN 

 AMERICAN COMPANY. 



Tlift Eussian American Company was tlie outgrowtli of tlie numerous 

 trading- associations whicli, soon ai^er tlie discovery of Bering Island 

 in 1741, began to develop the far trade of the Aleutian Islands and 

 Bering Sea.^ 



It was largely through the efforts of Grigor Ivanovitch Slielikof that 

 these associations with their conflicting interests were eventually united ; 

 he did not, however, live to see the result of his work. He a^jpears first 

 oil the scene as a trader on the Kurile and Aleutian Islands. Later 

 he formed a partnership with one Golikof, and for several years this 

 firm figured prominently in the prosecution of the fiir trade of those 

 regions and on the coast of the American continent. In 1784 he reached 

 the island of Kadiak, which he proceeded to explore with reference to 

 its hunting grounds. Notwithstanding numerous conflicts with the 

 natives, preparations were rapidly made for occupying the island, 

 houses and fortifications being erected. Later, cruises were under- 

 taken to Prince William Sound (Chugatsh Bay), Cook's Inlet (Kenai 

 Bay), and Yakutat Bay.^ 



Of one of these cruises Coxe says: "The voyage of Ismaelof and 

 Betsharof from Kadiak to the coast of America, an account of which 

 was digested by Shelikof, is by far the most interesting yet made by the 

 Eussians. They reached that continent near Prince William Sound, 

 coasted it beyond latitude 50°, and give a particular description of the 

 aspect of the country, the inhabitants, and productions. By comparing • 

 their accounts with the narratives of Cook, Portlock, Meares, and Van- 

 couver, we have been able to ascertain most of the harbours and places 

 at which they touched, and the general agreement with the accounts 

 given by the English navigators proves the accuracy of their descrip- 

 tion.'" 



At Yakutat a friendly traffic was carried on with the natives and 

 they were received under the protection of the Russian Empire, to 

 which they acknowledged their allegiance. The expedition then con- 

 tinued south as far as Ltoua Bay, returning to Okhotsk in the summer 

 of 1787." 



The rapid exjiansion of the Russians beyond Kadiak is best told in 

 the words of the same author: " The settlement formed by Shelikof 

 in the isle of Kadiak lias more contributed to spread the extent of the 

 Russian trade and power in the l^orth Pacific Ocean than any preced- 

 ing expeditions. He sent out detached parties, who formed establish- 

 ments on various parts of the American continent and kept the natives 

 in due order and subjugation. 



• Berg, p. 1 e« seq. 3 Coxe, p. 232. 



* Coxe, p. 207 ei seq., p. 232 et seq. * Coxe, p. 247 et seq. 



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