TO OOXALASHKA. ^3 



have ready fifteen strong and healthy Aleutians, 

 with their entire equipment, who were skilled in 

 the management of baydares. 3. To have kalmaicas 

 of sea-lions' skin ready for the whole crew, whicli 

 protect the wearer from the rain, and are impene- 

 trable ; and, 4. To send somebody immediately to 

 the island of Kodiak, to procure an interpreter, 

 tln'ongh the agent of the American Company. 

 This last order was the most difficult, as the season 

 was already far advanced, and threatened with 

 constant storms, which expose the small vessel to 

 the greatest danger, as the landing in the open sea 

 is very difficult, and often impossible. However, an 

 interpreter for Beering's Straits was indispensable ; 

 the expedition was obliged to be undertaken, and 

 we found three resolute Aleutians, who offered 

 themselves to undertake this voyage. 



September 11th. Yesterday, M. Kriukof gave 

 the whole crew a dinner on shore, in honour of 

 St. Alexander's Day ; and, in the afternoon, we 

 went to a large subterranean dwelling, where a 

 number of Aleutians had assembled to dance. I 

 readily believe that their dances and sports in 

 former times, when they were still in possession of 

 their liberty, were very different from what they 

 are now, when slavery has nearly degraded them 

 to the level of brutes, and when this spectacle is 

 neither pleasing nor diverting. The orchestra 

 consisted of three Aleutians, with tambourines, 

 with which they accompanied a simple, melan- 



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