Three Accounts of the Vasil'ev-Shishmarev Expedition of 1819-1822

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briskly from the W and by noon we saw the mountains. The captain had told us that these shores were completely uninhabited. We were surprised therefore to see a large settlement, consisting of a hundred or more conically shaped skin tents on a long sandspit extending from the high shores for about a mile and a half inside the bay (the only place it was possible to land because of shoal water.). Opposite each [tent] on the beach lay a baidar turned upside down. As soon as the inhabitants noticed us, 150 persons gathered, armed from head to foot with spears, bows, and a few even with long rifles. Seeing that, the captain ordered us to remove the sails and lay to in order to decide whether to go ashore or to return. Seeing that, the savages started to wave various furs and to shout "toki, toki," which meant, as we found out later, to trade.

It was decided to go ashore and to repel any attack by loading the falconets, guns, pistols, and by preparing side arms. Completing all that, we lifted the grapnel, and using oars, approached the very end of the above-mentioned bar, a distance of two or three cables' lengths away from the settlement. The principal reason for this action was the high tide, as we could not hope either to maneuver or to row out against the wind and currents, and therefore, we wanted to wait on shore for the low tide, especially since everyone was very hungry and longed to eat warm sour cabbage soup, for which we had everything necessary along. So we neared the shore, but not so close as to make it possible to get directly off the

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but we were unable to see inside because the chief blocked such an attempt by putting himself, with a long unsheathed knife that he pulled out from under the back of his parka and over his head, between us and the yurts. Seeing that, we did not insist further, and stepping away to the edge of the beach, we continued our trip, which pleased him very much. Having come to within about 20 sazhens of the mountains, the chief, with an apprehensive look, wanted to detain us from further walking, but seeing our determination, he remained on the spot and let us continue by ourselves.

These mountains begin where the sandspit ends. They stand back from the shore about three or more sazhens. This expanse consists of sandy oozy ground, which results from the melting ice forming constant small streams. The exterior side of the ice cliffs rises vertically 20 or more feet, and when the sun's rays reflect from this wall as from a polished surface, one must avert one's eyes, so blinding is the glare. The flat top of this ice mass slopes gradually toward the interior of the land and is covered with a layer of earth about two feet thick as tested with the bore. This layer is overgrown with moss and other northern bog plants. The continual rotting of these grasses creates a pungent swampy odor. Having satisfied our curiosity, we hurried back to the tents, again accompanied by the chief, and by women who joined us at this time, and whom we had not seen at first.

This tribe calls itself Tatui, and to the question,