DEPARTMENT OF INSUBORDINATION |
| DIRECTOR Clémentine Grgić |
ABOUT
TH E natives had refolved for a great while to deftroy all the Ruffians who were in Kamtfehatka; but fince the difcovery of the paflage over the Penfchinjka fea, and the arrival of veflels with new people, it appeared to them too dangerous: but when Captain Bering with his fleet failed on the expedition of Kamtfchatka, and moft of the Coflacks who were fettled in Kamtfchatka were ordered to join Captain Pauhitskoy at Anadir, to fupprefs the rebellious Tchukotskoi, very few Coflacks were left in Kamtfehatka. This the natives looked upon to be the wifhed-for opportunity; and during the whole winter the Nijhna/haltahki, Klutchejski, and Talofski Kamtfchadales, under pretence of vifiting one another, travelled through all Kamtfchatka, and inftigated the other inhabitants to join in their defigns,
under
under pain of being intirely deftroyed. By thefe means all Kamtfchatka entered into a ftate of open rebellion ; and hearing that Sheflicof was killed by the Tchukotjkoi., they reported that thefe people were marching againft Kamtfchatka, with a view either to have a pretence for collecting themfelves together, or that the Ruffian Coffacks, out of fear of thefe people, might defire the Kamtfchadales to guard them. Their meafures were fo well concerted, that it was a fingular inftance of Providence that any of the Ruffians were preferved; for if they had once been driven intirely out of the country, it would have been difficult for them to have re-eftabliflhed themfelves. The counfels of the Kamtfchadales were far from being fuch as one would expect from favages ; they endeavoured to prevent any correfpondence with Anadirjk, and kept a ftrong guard upon the fea-coafts, where they might feize upon any of the Ruffians that arrived. The chief authors of this rebellion were onzTaloJski Toyon, or chieftain called Fetka Harchin, who had frequently ferved the Ruffians as an interpreter, and a chieftain of the Klutchefski, called Chugotche,
While this confpiracy was in agitation, the commiflary Shacurdin was on his departure from Kamtfchatka, with a confiderable party to guard the tribute. They had failed from the mouth of the river Kamtfchatka towards Anadir, but foon after contrary winds obliged them to return. The Kamtfchadales, informed of their departure, and ready for the revolt, gathered together, and failing up the river Kamtfchatka killed every Ruffian Coflack they could find, burned their fummer huts, and carried off their wives and children into flavery. Their chief ftrength was directed againft the fort; where arriving in the night, they fet fire to the prieft's houfe, concluding that the fire would bring out all the inhabitants. In this they fucceeded too well, murdering almoft every perfon, without fparing either fex or age. They burned all the houfes, except the fortifications and church, where the goods both of thepub
L 1 2 lick lick and private people were kept.