ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONS 13 



weight in the destinies of empires. As it was, the 

 turning-point of the history of Kamchatka was 

 reached ; thereafter only a few partial disturbances 

 occurred here and there, but the country was prac- 

 tically conquered and pacified. 



Administrative questions now sprang up, together 

 with measures tending towards the education of the 

 newly subdued natives. With this view the Empress 

 Elizabeth sent Major Merlin from Yakoutsk, with 

 instructions for the government of the country as well 

 as for the founding of orthodox missions and schools. 

 He remained there until 1 739 ; his companion, Pavlutzki, 

 was appointed Russian Commissioner of Kamchatka 

 under the supervision of the head official of the dis- 

 trict, whose administrative centre was now Okhotsk, 

 The importance of the latter town grew accordingly, 

 as it became the seat of the Government and the 

 only existing port, Pavlutzki was killed in a fight with 

 the Tchuktchis of Anadyrsk in 1741 ; these warlike 

 northern tribes gave constant trouble until 1755. when 

 they were finally brought to submission by Shmaleff, 

 As for the inhabitants of Kamchatka, they fell into 

 complete apathy and have remained so ever since. 

 The second Behring expedition (1733-43) brought no 

 change in the affairs of the country ; on the contrary, 

 public interest turned towards its scientific results and 



