XL] THE RUSSIANS REACH AVATGHA BAY. 237 



where the village of Werchni Kamschatka now stands. This was 

 garrisoned with fifteen Cossacks, and the remainder of the force 

 returned in safety to Anadyrsk after an absence of two years. 



The tribute obtained as the result of tliis expedition was a very 

 valuable one, consisting of over three thousand sables in addition 

 to other furs. This booty Atlasov himself conveyed to Moscow, 

 and, as a reward for his services, was made Chief of the Cossacks 

 at Yakutsk, and ordered to return at once to Kamschatka. Unfor- 

 tunately for him, he fell into temptation by the way. A Prussian 

 merchant was unlucky enough to meet his party, and pro^'ed too 

 tempting a morsel for the conqueror of the peninsula. The pre- 

 datory instinct prevailed, and Atlasov eased him of the Cliinese 

 goods with which he was returning laden. Justice, however, seems 

 in this case to have overtaken the delinquent rather more rapidly 

 than is usual in the dominions of the Czar. He was at once seized 

 and thrown into prison, where he remained for nearly five years. 



During this period affairs in the newly-conquered country were 

 by no means progressing as smoothly as might have been expected 

 from the ease with which it had been annexed. Forts had been 

 built both on the Yelofka River and where Nischni Kamschatka now 

 stands, but the natives had given much trouble, and had killed 

 several of the tax-gatherers, while the garrison of the iqjper fort, 

 after remaining there for three years, had been murdered to a man 

 on their homeward march to Anadyrsk. Upon the return of 

 Atlasov, however, — for he had been invested with full authority, as 

 before, on his release from prison in 1705, — a force was at once 

 despatched to punish the rebels, and the Cossacks for the first 

 time appear to have reached Avatcha Bay, where they encountered 

 a body of eight hundred Kamschatdales. Certain of victory, the 

 latter had provided themselves with ropes to secure their prisoners, 

 but though the Cossacks were taken by surprise and greatly out- 

 numbered, they eventually gained the day, and the natives were 

 put to flight with great slaughter. 



The Russians were now permanently established in the 



