THE DISCOVERY OF KAMCHATKA. 
173 
xm.] 
of Siberia obtained of their being in the neighbourhood of 
Japan, 
The year after Atlassov, with a larger force, followed the way 
which Morosko had opened up, and penetrated to the river 
Kamchatka, where as a sign that he had taken possession of the 
land, he erected a cross with an inscription, which when trans¬ 
lated runs thus: In the year 7205 (i.e. 1697) on the IWi July 
this cross was erected hy the ^pidtidesdtnih Volodomir Atlassov and 
his followers, 55 men. Atlassov then built on the Kamchatka 
river a simovie, which was afterwards fortified and named Verchni 
Kamtschatskoj Ostrog. Hence the Russians extended their 
power over the land, yet not without resistance, which was 
first completely broken by the cruel suppression of the rebellion 
of 1730. 
In 1700 Atlassov travelled to Moscow, carrying with him 
a Japanese, who had been taken prisoner after being ship¬ 
wrecked on the coast of Kamchatka, and the collected tribute 
which consisted of the skins of 3,200 sables, 10 sea-otters, 
7 beavers, 4 otters, 10 grey foxes and 191 red foxes. He was 
received graciously, and sent back as commander of the Cossacks 
in Yakutsk with orders to complete the conquest of Kamchatka. 
An interruption however happened for some time in the path 
of Atlassov as a warrior and discoverer, in consequence of his 
having during his return journey to Yakutsk plundered a 
Russian vessel laden with Chinese goods, an accessory circum¬ 
stance which deserves to be mentioned for the light which it 
throws on the character of this Pizarro of Kamchatka. He 
was not set free until the year 1706, and then recovered his 
uitguaf, 1785, p. 670). An account, written from oral communication by 
Atlassov himself, is to be found inserted in Strahlenberg’s Travels, p. 431. 
Strablenberg considers Kamchatka and Yezo to be the same land. A 
history of the conquest of Kamchatka, evidently written according to 
traditions current in the country, is to be found in Krasch.eninnihov (French 
edition of 1770, ii. p. 291). In this account 1698 and 1699 are given as the 
years of Morosko’s and Atlassov’s expeditions. 
