to Oonalashka, as soon as the season would
permit.[84]

It is here to be observed, that the most considerable and valuable part of
the fur-trade is carried on with the islands that lie between Kamtschatka
and America. These were first discovered by Beering, in 1741, and being
found to abound with sea-otters, the Russian merchants became exceedingly
eager in searching for the other islands seen by that navigator, to the
S.E. of Kamtschatka, called in Muller's map the islands of Seduction, St
Abraham, &c. In these expeditions they fell in with three groups of
islands; the first about fifteen degrees to the east of Kamtschatka, in 53 deg.
N. latitude; the second about twelve degrees to the eastward of the former;
and the third, Oonalashka, and the islands in its neighbourhood. These
trading adventurers advanced also as far east as Shumagin's Islands (so
called by Beering), the largest of which is named Kodiak. But here, as well
as on the continent at Alashka, they met with so warm a reception in their
attempts to compel the payment of a tribute, that they never afterward
ventured so far. However they conquered, and made tributary the three
groups before mentioned.

In the Russian charts, the whole sea between Kamtschatka and America is
covered with islands; for the adventurers in these expeditions frequently
falling in with land, which they imagined did not agree with the situation
of others laid down by preceding voyagers, immediately concluded it must be
a new discovery, and reported it as such on their return; and, since the
vessels employed in these expeditions were usually out three or four years,
and oftentimes longer, these mistakes were not in the way of being soon
rectified; It is, however, now pretty certain, that the islands already
enumerated are all that have yet been discovered by the Russians in that
sea, to the southward of 60 deg. of latitude.

It is from these islands that the sea-otter skins, the most valuable
article of the fur-trade, are for the most part drawn; and as they are
brought completely under the Russian dominion, the merchants have
settlements upon them, where their factors reside, for the purpose of
bartering with the natives. It was with a view to the farther increase and
extension of this trade, that the admiralty of Okotzk fitted out an
expedition for the purpose of making discoveries to the N. and N.E. of the
islands above-mentioned, and gave the command of it, as I have already
obse