Our Northern Domain Author:Nathan Haskell Dole Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER HI. THE RISE OF THE RUSSIAN - AMERICAN COMPANY. A CHANGE for the better occurred when the Siberian merchant, Grigor Ivanovitch Shelikhof, recognizi... more »ng that the unwise treatment of the natives was causing a diminution of the fur-products, formed a partnership with two other merchants, named Golikof, to " sail for the Alaskan land called America and for known and unknown islands, to carry on the fur trade and explorations, and to establish friendly intercourse with the natives." Three galiots, bearing the extremely pious names of " Three Saints," " Archangel Michael," and " Simeon the Friend of God, and Anna the Prophetess," were fitted out at Okhotsk and set sail in August, 1783. Shelikhof and his wife, Natali, took part in the expedition. As usual, storms separated the vessels, but, after a year's separation, they brought up together in a harbor of the island of Kadiak. A native was found and treated so kindly by Shelikhof that he attached himself to the ship, and several times did great service in warning the Russians of hostile attacks. A large body of natives threatened to exterminate the Russians unless they immediately evacuated the island. Shelikhof tried to treat with them but his words had no effect, and a few nights later the natives made a desperate attack on the Russians, who were prepared for them, however, and, after a pitched battle, caused them to retreat. Shelikhof made up his mind that he must exterminate them before they secured reinforcements, and, with a picked band, supported by two-pounder cannon, stormed their stronghold, which the natives supposed was impregnable. It was a desperate battle, but Shelikhof's superior skill won the victory. Many were either killed or drowned by leaping over the precipice into the sea. Those thatsurrendered were...« less