CONTENTS
| PART I | |
| DEALING WITH THE RUSSIANS ON THE PACIFIC COAST OFAMERICA—BERING, THE DANE, THE SEA-OTTER HUNTERS,THE OUTLAWS, AND BENYOWSKY, THE POLISH PIRATE | |
[CHAPTER I 1700-1743 VITUS BERING, THE DANE] | |
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| Peter the Great sends Bering on Two Voyages: First, todiscover whether America and Asia are united; Second, tofind what lies north of New Spain—Terrible Hardshipsof Caravans crossing Siberia for Seven ThousandMiles—Ships lost in the Mist—Bering's Crew cast away on aBarren Isle | 3 |
[CHAPTER II 1741-1743 CONTINUATION OF BERING, THE DANE] | |
| Frightful Sufferings of the Castaways on the CommanderIslands—The Vessel smashed in a Winter Gale, the Sick aredragged for Refuge into Pits of Sand—Here, Beringperishes, and the Crew Winter—The Consort Ship underChirikoff Ambushed—How the Castaways reach Home | 37 |
[CHAPTER III 1741-1760 THE SEA-OTTER HUNTERS] | |
| How the Sea-otter Pelts brought back by Bering's Crew ledto the Exploitation of the NorthwestCoast of America—Difference of Sea-otterfrom Other Fur-bearing Animals ofthe West—Perils of the Hunt | 62 |
[CHAPTER IV 1760-1770 THE OUTLAW HUNTERS] | |
| The American Coast becomes the Great Rendezvous for SiberianCriminals and Political Exiles—Beyond Reach of Law,Cossacks and Criminals perpetrate Outrageson the Indians—The Indians' Revenge wipesout Russian Forts in America—The Pursuitof Four Refugee Russians from Cave toCave over the Sea at Night—How they escape after aYear's Chase | 80 |
[CHAPTER V 1768-1772 COUNT MAURITIUS BENYOWSKY, THE POLISH PIRATE] | |
| Siberian Exiles under Polish Soldier of Fortune plot tooverthrow Garrison of Kamchatka and escape to West Coastof America as Fur Traders—A Bloody Melodrama enactedat Bolcheresk—The Count and his Criminal Crew sail toAmerica | 106 |
PART II | |
| AMERICAN AND ENGLISH ADVENTURERS ON THE WEST COASTOF AMERICA—FRANCIS DRAKE IN CALIFORNIA—COOK,FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA TO ALASKA—LEDYARD, THEFORERUNNER OF LEWIS AND CLARK—GRAY, THEDISCOVERER OF THE COLUMBIA—VANCOUVER, THE LAST OFTHE WEST COAST NAVIGATORS | |
[CHAPTER VI 1562-1595 FRANCIS DRAKE IN CALIFORNIA] | |
| How the Sea Rover was attacked and ruined as a Boy on theSpanish Main off Mexico—His Revenge in sackingSpanish Treasure Houses and crossing Panama—The RichestMan in England, he sails to the Forbidden Sea, scuttles allthe Spanish Ports up the West Coast of South Americaand takes Possession of New Albion (California) forEngland | 133 |
[CHAPTER VII 1728-1779 CAPTAIN COOK IN AMERICA] | |
| The English Navigator sent Two Hundred Years later to findthe New Albion of Drake's Discoveries—He misses boththe Straits of Fuca and the Mouth of the Columbia, butanchors at Nootka, the Rendezvous of FutureTraders—No Northeast Passage found through Alaska—The TrueCause of Cook's Murder in Hawaii told by Ledyard—Russiabecomes Jealous of his Explorations | 172 |
[CHAPTER VIII 1785-1792 ROBERT GRAY, THE AMERICAN DISCOVERER OF THE COLUMBIA] | |
| Boston Merchants, inspired by Cook's Voyages, outfit TwoVessels under Kendrick and Gray for Discovery and Tradeon the Pacific—Adventures of the First Ship to carry theAmerican Flag around the World—Gray attacked byIndians at Tillamook Bay—His Discovery of theColumbia River on the Second Voyage—Fort Defence and theFirst American Ship built on the Pacific | 210 |
[CHAPTER IX 1778-1790 JOHN LEDYARD, THE FORERUNNER OF LEWIS AND CLARK] | |
| A New England Ne'er-do-well, turned from the Door of RichRelatives, joins Cook's Expedition to America—Adventureamong the Russians of Oonalaska—Useless Endeavorto interest New England Merchants in Fur Trade—ASoldier of Fortune in Paris, he meets Jefferson and PaulJones and outlines Exploration of Western America—Succeedsin crossing Siberia alone on the Way to America, butis thwarted by Russian Fur Traders | 242 |
[CHAPTER X 1779-1794 GEORGE VANCOUVER, LAST OF PACIFIC COAST EXPLORERS] | |
| Activities of Americans, Spanish, and Russians on the West Coastof America arouse England—Vancouver is sent outostensibly to settle the Quarrel between Fur Traders andSpanish Governors at Nootka—Incidentally, he is to completethe Exploration of America's West Coast and take Possessionfor England of Unclaimed Territory—The Myth of aNortheast Passage dispelled Forever | 263 |
PART III | |
| EXPLORATION GIVES PLACE TO FUR TRADE—THE EXPLOITATIONOF THE PACIFIC COAST UNDER THE RUSSIAN AMERICANFUR COMPANY, AND THE RENOWNED LEADER BARANOF | |
[CHAPTER XI 1579-1867 THE RUSSIAN AMERICAN FUR COMPANY] | |
| The Pursuit of the Sable leads Cossacks across Siberia; of theSea-otter, across the Pacific as far southas California—Caravans of Four Thousand Horseson the Long Trail—Seven Thousand Milesacross Europe and Asia—Banditti of the Sea—TheUnion of All Traders in One Monopoly—Siegeand Slaughter of Sitka—How Monroe Doctrinegrew out of Russian Fur Trade—Aims of Russia todominate North Pacific | 293 |
[CHAPTER XII 1747-1818 BARANOF, THE LITTLE CZAR OF THE PACIFIC] | |
| Baranof lays the Foundations of Russian Empire on the PacificCoast of America—Shipwrecked on his Way to Alaska,he yet holds his Men in Hand and turns the Ill-hap toAdvantage—How he bluffs the Rival Fur Companies inLine—First Russian Ship built in America—Adventuresleading the Sea-otter Hunters—Ambushed by the Indians—TheFounding of Sitka—Baranof, cast off in his OldAge, dies of Broken Heart | 316 |
[INDEX] | 339 |