THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
3^7 
little more than an acknowledgment of the Ruffian domi- 1779. 
nion over them) confills, in fome diftriCls, of a fox’s Ikin, ,_ oa ° ber ‘, 
in others of a fable’s, and in the Kurile ifles of a fea otter’s; 
but as this is much the moll valuable, one Ikin ferves to 
pay the tribute of feveral perfons. The Toions colleCl the 
tribute in their refpe&ive dillriCls. Belides the mildnefs of 
their government, the Ruffians have a claim to every praife 
for the pains they have bellowed, and which have been 
attended with great fuccefs, in converting them to Chriftia- 
nity, there remaining, at prefent, very few idolaters among » 
them. If we may judge of the other miffionaries, from 
the hofpitable and benevolent pallor of Paratounca (who is 
a native on the mother’s fide), more fuitable perfons could 
not be fet over this bufinefs. It is needlefs to add, that the 
religion taught is that of the Greek church. Schools are 
likewife ellablilhed in many of the ojirogs , where the chil¬ 
dren of both the natives and Colfacks are gratuitously in- 
ftru&ed in the Ruffian language. 
The commerce of this country, as far as concerns the 
exports, is entirely confined to furs, and carried on princi¬ 
pally by a company of merchants, inllituted by the prefent 
Emprefs. This company originally confilted of twelve, and 
three have been lately added to it. They are indulged with 
certain privileges, and dillinguiffied by wearing a golden 
medal, as a mark of the Emprefs’s encouragement and pro¬ 
tection of the fur-trade. Befides thefe, there are many infe¬ 
rior traders (particularly of the Colfacks) fcattered through ' 
the country. The principal merchants, for the time they 
are here, refide at Bolcheretlk, or the Nichnei ojirogs in 
which two places the trade almolt wholly centers. For¬ 
merly this commerce was altogether carried on in the way 
of barter, but of late years every article is bought and fold 
for 
