RUSSIAN ADVENTURERS. 35 



political constitution which existed in Mexico 

 before its invasion by the Spaniards, probably 

 floated in little canoes over the trackless surface 

 of the ocean, as the inhabitants of the South Sea 

 Islands do to this day. 



The voyages of the Phoenicians and Romans 

 are sufficiently known; as are those of the Nor- 

 ^ man heroes who discovered Greenland, Iceland, 

 and even North America. 



In vessels just as defective, destitute of the 

 instruments requisite for observing their course, 

 and of any fixed notion concerning the con 

 formation or extent of the earth, often even 

 without a compass, ignorant Russian adven 

 turers have embarked from Ochotsk, and round 

 ing Kamtschatka, have discovered the Aleutian 

 Islands, and attained to the north-west coast of 

 America. Year after year, in more numerous 

 parties, they repeated these expeditions, tempt 

 ed by the beautiful furs which were procured 

 in the newly-discovered countries. Many of 

 their vessels were lost, many of those who 

 ventured in them were attacked and murdered 

 by savages ; yet still new adventurers were 

 found yearly encountering all these risks, for 



