V.
Dull Sailing.—I touch at Kodiak and Alashka.—Take in Passengers at Oonalashka.—No Prospect of completing my Voyage this Season.—Determine to winter at Petropowlowsk.
Being at sea again, and on my own vessel, I had leisure for a more deliberate view of the step I had taken, in attempting to seek my own way to Ochotsk, in preference to waiting for the Juno. My little craft was large and safe enough for my purpose; but I was now convinced by her sluggish motion that it was very doubtful whether I gained the port of my destination before it was too late in the autumn to pursue my journey across Siberia. Our best sailing before the wind was hardly five knots, and by the wind two and a half. We had a voyage of 2,500 miles before us, and at a season of the year in that water most subject to calms, light winds, and fogs.
This tract of ocean, from longitude 130° west, along the entire coast of Alashka and through the seas of Kamtchatka and Ochotsk, was at that time the great place of resort of the right whale. Persecuted in all its other haunts, it had sought refuge in this northern region, where as yet a whaleship had never made its appearance. We were frequently surrounded by them. Sometimes they would take a position at the windward, and come down towards us, as if they were determined to sink us; but when they had approached within eight or ten rods, they would dip and go under, or make a circuit round us. Most of them were much longer than our vessel, and it would have taken but a slight blow from one to have smashed her into a thousand pieces.
On the 13th of July we saw the high land near the entrance of Cook’s Inlet; and on the 17th arrived at the harbor of St. Paul, in the island of Kodiak, after a passage of eighteen days, and which might have been performed by an ordinary sailing craft, with the same winds, in ten days. Here my letters of introduction made me acquainted with Mr. Bander, the Company’s Superintendent. He received us with great cordiality, and readily procured me a man to serve as mate. He likewise furnished all the supplies we were in need of, and saw that they were put on board; so that Dr. Langsdorff and myself had little else to do than to look about and see the lions. The village consisted of about forty houses, of various descriptions, including a church, school-house, storehouse, and barracks. The school-house was quite a respectable establishment, well filled with pupils, under the especial care, as teacher, of the “Pope,”[30] or ecclesiastic. He instructed them in reading, writing, arithmetic, and keeping accounts. Many among them were excellent scholars in these branches. The Doctor and myself made an excursion to an adjacent island, where the Pope had a considerable tract of land under cultivation, raising potatoes, cabbages, turnips, cucumbers, and other vegetables. He also kept several milch cows, and appeared to live in quite a farmer-like style. We concluded to pass the night with him, and were hospitably entertained by his wife.
ST. PAUL IN THE ISLAND OF KODIAK
Having taken on board some freight of skins and sea-elephant’s teeth for Ochotsk, and a cask of brandy for the island of Oonalashka, on the 23rd of July we took leave of our friends, Mr. Bander and the Pope, and started again on our route. The wind was so strong from the southeast that I found it impossible to weather the southern point of the island, and thus to get to the westward of it. I concluded to bear up, and pass through the Schelikoff’s Strait. This is a channel formed by an archipelago of islands (of which Kodiak is the principal), and the peninsula of Alashka. But by reason of light and contrary winds, we did not get fairly into the strait until the 26th, and shortly after encountered a strong wind from the west, with heavy squalls, which soon increased to such a severe gale, that we were compelled to seek shelter on the Alashka shore. Here I found my Indian sailors, who had proved good men from the beginning, to be of the greatest service. I mentioned above that they were natives of Alashka, and they were perfectly acquainted with the shore. They pointed out to me a good harbor, for which I steered; and as we rounded the point at its entrance, which was called Kudak, a baidarka containing one man came alongside. He turned out to be the father of one of my sailors, and they had not seen each other before for two years. They did not appear, however, to be over-rejoiced at this accidental meeting. They embraced each other after the Russian custom, had a little chat together, and then went about their business, without showing any disposition for further communication.
In the course of the night the gale increased so much that I deemed it prudent to let go our best bow-anchor; but with the return of light the wind abated, and the weather became quite pleasant. Doctor Langsdorff and myself took our baidarka, and went to the village, which was situated on the opposite side of the harbor from where we lay. It consisted of eight or ten habitations, which looked more like mounds of earth than houses. They contained but one room, of an oval form, and about fifteen feet across. The earth was dug out about three feet in depth, and raised from the surface about three feet more, and to enter we had to crawl on our hands and knees. The light was admitted through windows of transparent skins, as a substitute for glass. Their quarters were certainly comfortable for winter. The floors were covered with spruce boughs, and mats were laid over them, which made the apartment dry and warm. An aperture was left in the top for ventilation. The outside was covered with a luxurious growth of grass. The occupants were principally women, with a few old men; the young men had all gone out hunting the sea-otter, in the Russian service. Those at home seemed to be quite happy and contented, and were all employed in making water-proof garments from the entrails of sea-lions, for their husbands and sweethearts. We bought of them a number of articles of their manufacture,—curious and very neat work,—such as pocket-books, baskets, &c.,—and paid them in tobacco and beads.