climbed other very steep ascents, reached towards noon a considerable
height, which rewarded us with a magnificent prospect. Amongst the
remarkable objects before us, the ocean stretched to the west, with the
harbour of Romanzow, which unfortunately will only afford admission to
small vessels; the Russian settlement here, can therefore never be as
prosperous as it might have been, had circumstances permitted its
establishment on the bay of St. Francisco. To the east, extending far
inland, lay a valley, called by the Indians the Valley of the White Men.
There is a tradition among them, that a ship was once wrecked on this
coast; that the white men chose this valley for their residence, and
lived there in great harmony with the Indians. What afterwards became of
them is not recorded. On the north-east was a high mountain thickly
covered with fir trees, from amongst which rose dark columns of smoke,
giving evidence of Indian habitations. Our soldiers said that it was the
abode of a chief and his tribe, whose valour had won the respect of the
Spaniards; that they were of a distinct class from the common race of
Indians; had fixed their dwellings on this mountain on account of its
supposed inaccessibility; were distinguished for their courage, and
preferred death to the dominion of the Missionaries, into whose power no
one of them has ever yet been entrapped. Is it not possible that they
may owe their superiority to having mingled their race with that of the
shipwrecked whites?
Our road now lay sometimes across hills and meadows, and sometimes along
the sands so near the ocean that we were sprinkled by its spray. We
passed Port Romanzow, and soon after forded the bed of another shallow
river to which the Russians have given the name of Slavianka. Farther
inland it is said to be deeper, and even navigable for ships; its banks
are extremely fertile, but peopled by numerous warlike hordes. It flows
hither from the north-east; and the Russians have proceeded up it a
distance of a hundred wersts, or about sixty-seven English miles.
The region we now passed through was of a very romantic though wild
character; and the luxuriant growth of the grass proved that the soil
was rich. From the summit of a high hill, we at length, to our great
joy, perceived beneath us the fortress of Ross, to which we descended by
a tolerably convenient road. We spurred our tired horses, and excited no
small astonishment as we passed through the gate at a gallop. M. Von
Schmidt, the governor of the establishment, received us in the kindest
manner, fired some guns to greet our arrival on Russian-American ground,
and conducted us into his commodious and orderly mansion, built in the
European fashion with thick beams.
The settlement of Ross, situated on the sea-shore, in latitude 38° 33',
and on an insignificant stream, was founded in the year 1812, with the
free consent of the natives, who were very useful in furnishing
materials for the buildings and even in their erection.
The intention in forming this settlement was to pursue the chase of the
sea-otter on the coast of California, where the animal was then
numerous, as it had become extremely scarce in the more northern
establishments. The Spaniards who did not hunt them, willingly took a
small compensation for their acquiescence in the views of the Russians;
and the sea-otter, though at present scarce even here, is more
frequently caught along the Californian coast, southward from Ross, than
in any other quarter. The fortress is a quadrangle, palisaded with tall,
thick beams, and defended by two towers which mount fifteen cannons. The
garrison consisted, on my arrival, of a hundred and thirty men, of whom
a small number only were Russians, the rest Aleutians.
The Spaniards lived at first on the best terms with the new settlers,
and provided them with oxen, cows, horses, and sheep; but when in
process of time they began to remark that, notwithstanding the
inferiority of soil and climate, the Russian establishment became more
flourishing than theirs, envy, and apprehension of future danger, took
possession of their minds: they then required that the settlement should
be abandoned,--asserted that their rights of dominion extended northward
quite to the Icy Sea, and threatened to support their claims by force of
arms.
The founder and then commander of the fortress of Ross, a man of
penetration, and one not easily frightened, gave a very decided answer.
He had, he said, at the command of his superiors, settled in this
region, which had not previously been in the possession of any other
power, and over which, consequently, none had a right but the natives;
that these latter had freely consented to his occupation of the land,
and therefore that he would yield to no such unfounded pretension as
that now advanced by the Spaniards, but should be always ready to resist
force by force.
Perceiving that the Russians would not comply with their absurd
requisitions, and considering that they were likely to be worsted in an
appeal to arms, the Spaniards quietly gave up all further thought of
hostilities, and entered again into friendly communications with our
people; since which the greatest unity has subsisted between the two
nations. The Spaniards often find Ross very serviceable to them. For
instance, there is no such thing as a smith in all California;
consequently the making and repairing of all manner of iron implements
here is a great accommodation to them, and affords lucrative employment
to the Russians. The dragoons who accompanied us, had brought a number
of old gunlocks to be repaired.
In order that the Russians might not extend their dominion to the
northern shore of the Bay of St. Francisco, the Spaniards immediately
founded the missions of St. Gabriel and St. Francisco Salona. It is a
great pity that we were not beforehand with them. The advantages of
possessing this beautiful bay are incalculable, especially as we have no
harbour but the bad one of Bodega or Port Romanzow.
The inhabitants of Ross live in the greatest concord with the Indians,
who repair, in considerable numbers, to the fortress, and work as
day-labourers, for wages. At night they usually remain outside the
palisades. They willingly give their daughters in marriage to Russians
and Aleutians; and from these unions ties of relationship have arisen
which strengthen the good understanding between them. The inhabitants of
Ross have often penetrated singly far into the interior, when engaged in
the pursuit of deer or other game, and have passed whole nights among
different Indian tribes, without ever having experienced any
inconvenience. This the Spaniards dare not venture upon. The more
striking the contrast between the two nations in their treatment of the
savages, the more ardently must every friend to humanity rejoice on
entering the Russian territory.
The Greek Church does not make converts by force. Free from fanaticism,
she preaches only toleration and love. She does not even admit of
persuasion, but trusts wholly to conviction for proselytes, who, when
once they enter her communion, will always find her a loving mother. How
different has been the conduct both of Catholic priests and Protestant
missionaries!
The climate at Ross is mild. Reaumur's thermometer seldom falls to the
freezing point; yet gardens cannot flourish, on account of the frequent
fogs. Some wersts farther inland, beyond the injurious influence of the
fog, plants of the warmest climates prosper surprisingly. Cucumbers of
fifty pounds' weight, gourds of sixty-five, and other fruits in
proportion, are produced in them. Potatoes yield a hundred or two
hundred fold, and, as they will produce two crops in a year, are an
effectual security against famine. The fortress is surrounded by wheat
and barley fields, which, on account of the fogs, are less productive
than those of Santa Clara, but which still supply sufficient corn for
the inhabitants of Ross. The Aleutians find their abode here so
agreeable, that although very unwilling to leave their islands, they are
seldom inclined to return to them.
The Spaniards should take a lesson in husbandry from M. Von Schmidt, who
has brought it to an admirable degree of perfection. Implements, equal
to the best we have in Europe, are made here under his direction. Our
Spanish companions were struck with admiration at what he had done; but
what astonished them most, was the effect of a windmill; they had never
before seen a machine so ingenious, and so well adapted to its purpose.
Ross is blest with an abundance of the finest wood for building. The sea
provides it with the most delicious fish, the land with an inexhaustible
quantity of the best kinds of game; and, notwithstanding the want of a
good harbour, the northern settlements might easily find in this a
plentiful magazine for the supply of all their wants. Two ships had
already run in here from Stapel.
The Indians of Ross are so much like those of the missions, that they
may well be supposed to belong to the same race, however different their
language. They appear indeed by no means so stupid, and are much more
cheerful and contented than at the missions, where a deep melancholy
always clouds their faces, and their eyes are constantly fixed upon the
ground; but this difference is only the natural result of the different
treatment they experience. They have no permanent residence, but wander
about naked, and, when not employed by the Russians as day-labourers,
follow no occupation but the chase. They are not difficult in the choice
of their food, but consume the most disgusting things, not excepting all
kinds of worms and insects, with good appetite, only avoiding poisonous
snakes. For the winter they lay up a provision of acorns and wild rye:
the latter grows here very abundantly. When it is ripe, they burn the
straw away from it, and thus roast the corn, which is then raked
together, mixed with acorns, and eaten without any farther preparation.
The Indians here have invented several games of chance: they are
passionately fond of gaming, and often play away every thing they
possess. Should the blessing of civilization ever be extended to the
rude inhabitants of these regions, the merit will be due to the Russian
settlements, certainly not to the Spanish missions.
After a stay of two days, we took leave of the estimable M. Von Schmidt,
and returned by the same way that we came, without meeting with any
remarkable occurrence. Professor Eschscholtz remained at Ross, in order
to prosecute some botanical researches, intending to rejoin us by means
of an Aleutian baidar, several of which were shortly to proceed to St.
Francisco in search of otters. This promised chase was a gratifying
circumstance to me, as I had it in contemplation to examine several of
the rivers that fall into the Bay of St. Francisco, for which purpose
the small Aleutian vessels would probably prove extremely serviceable.
The north-west wind is prevalent here during summer, and rain is unknown
in that season: it was now, however, the latter end of October, and
southerly gales began to blow, accompanied by frequent showers; we had
therefore to wait some time for the baidars and Professor Eschscholtz.
Meanwhile, to our great surprise, a boat with six oars, one day, entered
the bay from the open sea, and lay to beside our ship. It belonged to an
English whaler, which had been tacking about for some days, and was
prevented by the contrary wind from getting into the bay. The greater
part of his crew being sick of the scurvy, the captain at length
resolved on sending his boat ashore, in hopes of being able to get some
fresh provisions for his patients. I immediately furnished the boat with
an ample supply both of fresh meat and vegetables, and having completed
its little cargo, it proceeded again to sea forthwith. The next day the
whaler succeeded in getting into the bay, and came to anchor close
alongside. It was evident, from their manner of working the vessel, that
she had but few hands on board capable of labour. The captain, who
shortly afterwards visited me, was himself suffering severely, and his
mates were all confined to their beds; seven months the vessel had been
at sea off the Japanese coast, holding no communication with the shore;
and this without having succeeded in the capture of a single whale,
though numbers of them had been seen on the coast. The scurvy with which
the crew was afflicted, was mainly attributable to unwholesome food,
selected on a principle of unpardonable economy, and to the want of
cleanliness; a vice not usual among the English, but which, during so
long an absence from land, is scarcely to be avoided; not the slightest
symptom of this fearful malady, formerly so fatal to seamen, manifested
itself on board my vessel throughout the whole course of our tedious
voyage.
The captain informed me that a number of whalers frequented the Japanese
coast, and often obtained rich cargoes in a short period: the principal
disadvantages with which they had to contend were violent storms, and a
strict prohibition against landing. The Japanese, as is well known,
refuse to have any foreign intercourse except with the Chinese and
Dutch, and treat all other nations as if they carried contagion with
them; hoping thus to preserve their ancient manners unchanged. During my
first voyage with Admiral Krusenstern, I spent seven months in Japan,
and may venture to assert, that whoever has an opportunity of becoming
acquainted with the people, cannot but respect them for the high degree
of intellectual development to which they have attained, through their
own efforts, unassisted by foreign influence. Their total isolation is
probably owing to the timid policy of a despotic government, anxious to
prevent the introduction of ideas that might possibly exercise a
hostile influence upon the existing institutions.
A whaler that had exceeded his appointed stay on the coast, had
completely exhausted his stock of water and provisions. In this
distress, although fully aware of the severe prohibition, the captain
resolved to pay a visit to the Emperor in his capital, and accordingly,
without ceremony, sailed into the Bay of Jeddo, where he cast anchor
within gun-shot of the city. The hubbub among the inhabitants, who had
never seen an European vessel before, may be imagined. The shore
immediately swarmed with soldiers, and armed boats surrounded the ship.
From these martial preparations, the crew apprehended that it was
intended to make them pay for their temerity with their lives; but their
fears proved unfounded. As soon as the Japanese had taken the necessary
precautions to prevent the vessel either from leaving the spot where she
had first anchored, or from sending a boat on shore, a handsome barge
came alongside, from which two Bonjoses, dressed in silk, and each armed
with two sabres, stepped on board: they were accompanied by an
interpreter who spoke a little broken Dutch. They saluted the captain
politely, inquiring the object of his visit, and whether he was not
aware that the coast of Japan was not accessible under pain of death?
The captain acknowledged himself aware of the prohibition, but stated
that the emergency of the case had left him no choice: the Bonjoses
thereupon searched the vessel, and having satisfied themselves that she
was really destitute of provisions and water, they took leave of the
captain with the same civility they had shown him on their arrival. A
multitude of boats with persons of both sexes now issued from the city,
to feast their eyes upon the novel spectacle, but they were not allowed
to approach within the circle marked by the watch-boats. The same day,
the interpreter returned, bringing water and every species of
provisions, sufficient for several weeks, declaring that the Emperor
furnished every thing gratuitously, as the government would deem it a
disgrace to accept payment from those whom distress had driven to their
shore; but as the captain's necessities were now provided for, he was
ordered immediately to put to sea, and to inform his countrymen, that
except in cases of the most urgent necessity, they were not permitted to
approach the Japanese coast under pain of death; nor was it at all just
to carry on a fishery on their coast, without the permission of the
Emperor. The interpreter had brought a number of people with him, who
assisted in shipping the provisions and water: the captain was then
immediately obliged to weigh anchor, and the Japanese boats towed the
vessel out to sea, after she had been scarcely twelve hours in the bay.
On taking leave, the captain wished to make a present to the
interpreter, but he hastened out of the vessel in alarm, declaring that
his acceptance of the smallest trifle would cost him his head. Europeans
are not so scrupulous.
Soon after this, another whaler, knowing nothing about the affair in
Jeddo, sent a boat ashore, a hundred miles farther south, to a little
village on the coast, to try and purchase some fresh provisions. The
sailors, on landing, were immediately seized and imprisoned, and their
boat placed under arrest. The ship, having waited a long time in vain
for the return of her boat, was at length driven by a violent storm to
a distance from the coast. The prisoners were well treated; their prison
was commodious, and their food excellent. In fourteen days, sentence was
pronounced on them, probably at Jeddo, and proved less mild than might
have been expected in Japan:--they were ordered to be replaced in their
boat, and immediately sent to sea without any provisions, let the
weather be what it might. After wandering on the trackless ocean for
eight-and-forty hours, they had the good fortune to meet with a whaler,
which took them in. These examples may serve as a warning to all
navigators who may be desirous of effecting a landing in Japan.
The Californian winter being now fairly set in, we had much rain and
frequent storms. On the 9th of October the south-west wind blew with the
violence of the West-Indian tornado, rooted up the strongest trees, tore
off the roofs of the houses, and occasioned great devastation in the
cultivated lands. One of our thickest cables broke; and if the second
had given way, we would have been driven on the rocky shore of the
channel which unites the bay with the sea, where a powerful current
struggling with the tempest produced a frightful surf. Fortunately, the
extreme violence of the storm lasted only a few hours, but in that short
time it caused a destructive inundation: the water spread so rapidly
over the low lands, that our people had scarcely time to secure the
tent, with the astronomical apparatus. On comparing the time of day at
St. Petersburg and St. Francisco, by means of the difference of
longitude, it appears that the tremendous inundation at the former city
took place not only on the same day, but even began in the same hour as
that in California. Several hundred miles westward, on the Sandwich
Islands, the wind raged with similar fury at the same time, as it did
also still farther off, upon the Philippine Islands, where it was
accompanied by an earthquake. So violent was the storm in the Bay of
Manilla, (usually so safe a harbour,) that a French corvette, at anchor
there, under the command of Captain Bougainville, a son of the
celebrated navigator, was entirely dismasted, as we afterwards heard,
on the Sandwich Islands, and at Manilla itself. This hurricane,
therefore, raged at the same time over the greatest part of the northern
hemisphere; the causes which produced it may possibly have originated
beyond our atmosphere.
Finding that our anchorage would not be secure during the winter, if we
should be exposed to storms of this kind, we took advantage of the fine
weather on the following day, to sail some miles farther eastward, into
a little bay surrounded by a romantic landscape, where Vancouver
formerly lay, and which is perfectly safe at all seasons: the Spaniards
have named this bay _Herba buena_, after a sweet-smelling herb which
grows on its shores.
The arrival of Dr. Eschscholtz and the baidars from Ross was still
delayed, and I really began to fear that some misfortune had befallen
them in the tempest: my joy therefore was extreme, when at last, on the
12th of October, the baidars, twenty in number, entered the harbour
undamaged, and we received our friend again safe and well. The little
flotilla had indeed left Ross before the commencement of the hurricane,
but had fortunately escaped any injury from it, by taking refuge at a
place called _Cap de los Reges_, till its fury was expended; but the
voyagers had been obliged to bivouack on the naked rock, without shelter
from the weather, and with very scanty provisions. Dr. Eschscholtz,
however, not in the slightest degree disheartened by the difficulties he
had undergone, was quite ready to join the voyage I had meditated for
the examination of the adjacent rivers.
All our preparations were now completed; we again took on board our
pilot Marco, and a soldier from the Presidio, who offered to accompany
us. On the 18th of November the weather was favourable, and we set out
with a barcasse and a shallop, both well manned and provided with every
necessary, in company with the Aleutian flotilla. At first we took the
same course I have before described, towards the mission of St. Gabriel;
cutting through the waters of the southern basin, and working our way
between the islands into the northern portion of the bay; then adopting
an easterly course, so that St. Gabriel remained at a considerable
distance to the left in the north-east. We reached towards noon, at a
distance of thirty miles from our ship, the common mouth of the two
before-mentioned rivers, which here fall into the bay.
The breadth of this embouchure is a mile and a half, and the banks on
both sides are high, steep, and little wooded. It is crossed by a
shallow, not above two or three feet deep; but on its east side the
channel will admit ships of a middling size fully laden. The current was
so strong against us, that it was with much exertion our rowers
accomplished crossing the shallow. We landed on the left bank in order
to determine the geographical position of the mouth, and found the
latitude 38° 2' 4", and the longitude 122° 4'. After finishing this
task, I ascended the highest hillock on the shore, which consisted of
strata of slate and quartz, to admire the beauty of the prospect. On the
south lay the enviable and important Bay of St. Francisco with its many
islands and creeks; to the north flowed the broad beautiful river formed
by the junction of the two, sometimes winding between high, steep
rocks, sometimes gliding among smiling meadows, where numerous herds of
deer were grazing. In every direction the landscape was charming and
luxuriant. Our Aleutians here straggled about in their little baidars,
and pursued the game with which land and water were stocked: they had
never seen it in such plenty; and being passionately fond of the chase,
they fired away without ceasing, and even brought down some of the game
with a javelin. The Aleutians are as much at home in their little
leathern canoes, as our Cossacks on horseback. They follow their prey
with the greatest rapidity in all directions, and it seldom escapes
them. White and grey pelicans about twice the size of our geese were
here in great numbers. An Aleutian followed a flock of these birds, and
killed one of them with his javelin; the rest of the flock took this so
ill, that they attacked the murderer and beat him severely with their
wings, before other baidars could come to his assistance. The frequent
appearance of the pelican on this river, proves that it abounds in
fish; a remark that our pilot Marco confirmed; and we ourselves saw many
large fish leap to the surface of the water.
When the sailors had rested some hours, we continued our voyage up the
stream; but it was ebb-tide, and both currents united allowed us to make
but little progress. We landed therefore at six o'clock, after working
only a few miles, and pitched our tents for the night in a pretty
meadow. The river flowing as before, from the north, was here a mile
broad, and deep enough for the largest ships.