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VOYAGE FROJ4 OKHOTZK 



to me, was not without its reward, fo they exprefTed 

 their willies that I would flay with them for ever. And 

 I can boafly with the Imcteil attachment to truth, that 

 on firft hearing of my intended departure, they were 

 as dejected as if they were about to lofe their all 3 

 though I refigned all my eftablifhments and rnftitutions 

 to my overfeer whom I intended to leave behind on the 

 illand, a merchant of Yenifei, by name Samoilef; a 

 man on whom I could fafely depend for the religious 

 obfervance of all my directions ; and whom I moreovet 

 provided with rules for his conduct in writing. Both 

 from the declaration of the favages, which indeed they 

 did not know how to prove with accuracy, and by their 

 own relations in conjunction with my remarks, the 

 number of the new fubjects I acquired to her majefly 

 may be computed with certainty at upwards of 50,000* 

 perfons of both fexes. 



But I never once thought of impofing on them a 

 yaiTak*, in order to avoid railing their dillike or fuf- 

 picion, only concerning myfelf in giving them a good 

 opinion of the Ruffians, and o make them by degrees 

 more familiar with our manners and ufages, fo that 

 they might not find therrl repugnant but rather agree- 

 able ; and accordingly I left every thing relating to the 

 yaflak to be fettled by the high commiflion of controul 

 as it might pleafe to decree, 



In the year 1785, the fcurvy made its appearance 

 among my people, which increafed to fo much viru- 



* The tribute in country-products or money ; ufuaily paid in 

 furs, fifli, and the like, which all the tribes in fubmiffion to the 



ruffian empire are bound to pay, 



k Jence 



