242 HISTOBY OF KAMSGHATKA. [chap. 



to examine the shores of the supposed straits as soon as they should 

 be free of ice in the following summer. They left the river for this 

 object on the 5th of June, 1729, but owing to the continued 

 prevalence of strong north-east winds, against which the Gabriel 

 could make no headway, the main idea of the voyage was abandoned, 

 and Bering made for Okhotsk, whence he proceeded overland to St. 

 Petersburg. His second voyage was thus neither successful nor 

 disastrous. The third, and final one, was both. 



It was during the absence of Bering that an event occurred 

 which, but for a fortunate accident, would in all probability have 

 resulted in the murder of every Eussian in Kamschatka. The 

 natives had for a long time cherished the idea of ridding themselves 

 of their conquerors by a preconcerted rising throughout the country. 

 In 1731 a more favourable opportunity presented itself than they 

 could have anticipated. The departure of Bering and his people 

 had cleared the Kamschatka of the most formidable body of their 

 enemies, and the Paissian forces in the peninsula had been still 

 further weakened by the absence of a great number of Cossacks, 

 who, under Captain Paulutsky, had been sent to the north to 

 suppress a rebellion of the Tchuktchis. At the same time the 

 commissary Shacurdin sailed from the Kamschatka Eiver for 

 Anadyrsk in charge of the annual tribute. The moment was 

 seized by the Kamschatdales, who throughout the country were in 

 readiness for the revolt. They sailed up the river, killing every 

 Cossack they encountered, and Nischni Kamschatka was carried in 

 the night by surprise. Every soul was massacred, with the ex- 

 ception of two or three who made their escape under cover of the 

 darkness, and paddling down the river, eventually reached the 

 coast. Here, to their great joy, they found the two vessels which 

 had left for Anadyrsk, but had been compelled to return by 

 strong head winds. Measures were immediately taken to regain 

 possession of the fort. The leaders of the rebellion were Harchin 

 — a Toyune or chief of the Yelofka Eiver district — and a Kluchi 

 Kamschatdale named Chugotchi. The village of Nischni had fallen 



