This chapter narrates the early Russian expeditions in the North Pacific under the orders of Peter the Great and later Empress Catherine. It highlights the challenges faced by explorers Vitus Behring and Aleksei Chirikoff as they searched for new lands and investigated whether Asia and America were connected. The narrative details their perilous voyages, including the tragic fate of the first Russian sailors to land on the American continent. The chapter captures the spirit of exploration, hardships endured, and the significant discoveries that shaped the history of Russian America.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter forty nine. We were released from the sand bar
near midnight, and at eight o'clock on the following morning,
we steamed around a green and lovely point and entered
Norton Sound, in whose curving blue arm lies storied Saint Michael.
Saint Michael is situated on the island of the same name,
about sixty miles north of the mouth of the Yukon.
(00:23):
It was founded in eighteen thirty three by Michael Tebenkov
and was originally named Mikulovski Redout. The Russian buildings were
of spruce logs brought by sea from the Yukon and
Couscaquim rivers. As no timber grows in the vicinity of
Saint Michael or Nome, some of the original Russian buildings
(00:45):
yet remained, notably the storehouse and the Redoubt. The latter
is in hexagonal building of heavy hewn logs with sloping roof, flagstaff,
door and port holes. It stands upon the shore, within
a dozen steps of the famous cottage, the residence of
(01:05):
the managers of the Northern Commercial Company, under who's hospitable
roof every traveler of note has been entertained for many years,
and in front of it. The shore slopes green to
the water. Inside lie half a dozen rusty Russian cannons,
mutely testifying to the sanguinary past of the north. The
(01:26):
redoubt was attacked in eighteen thirty six by the hostile
Unalignments of the Vicinity, but it was successfully defended by Krupunov.
The Russians had a temporary landing place built out to
deep water to accommodate boats drawing five feet. This was
removed when ice formed in the bay. The tundra is
(01:46):
rolling with numerous pools that flame like brass at sunset.
Only low willows and alders grow on the island and
adjacent shores. The island is seven miles wide and twenty
five long, and is separated from the main land by
a tortuous channel as narrow as fifty feet in places.
(02:08):
The land gradually rises to low hills of volcanic origin
near the center of the island. These hills are called
the Shaman Mountains. The meadow upon which the main part
of the town and the buildings of the post are situated,
is as level as a vast parade ground, but the
land rises gently to a slender point that plunges out
(02:29):
into bearing sea, whose blue waves beat themselves to foam
and music upon its thunder covered cliffs. On the day
that I stood upon this headland, the sunlight lay like
gold upon the island. The winds were low, murmurous, and soothing.
Flowers spent their color rie a see about me. The
thunder was as soft as deep napped velvet, and the
(02:51):
blue waves, set with flashes of gold, went pushing languorously
away to the shores of another continent. Scarcely a stone's
throw from me was a small mountain island, only large
enough for a few graves, but with no graves upon it.
In all the world, there cannot be another spot so
(03:12):
noble in which to lie down and rest, when life's
fevers and life's passions all are past. There alone, but
never again to be lonely facing that sublime sweep of
sapphire summer sea, set here and there with islands, and
those miles upon miles of glittering winter ice, with white
(03:33):
sails drifting by in summer and in winter, the wild
and roaring march of icebergs, with summer nights of lavender dusk,
and winter nights set with the great stars, and the
magnificent brilliance of northern lights, with the perfume of flowers,
the songs of birds, the music of lone winds and
waves out on the edge of the world. Could any
(03:54):
clipped and cared for plot be so noble a place
in which to lie down for the last time time?
Could any be so close to God? The entire island
is a military reservation, and it is only by concessions
from the government that commercial and transportation companies may establish
themselves there. Fort Saint Michael is a two company post
(04:18):
under the command of Captain Stokes, At whose residence or
reception was tendered to Governor Hagat. The filmy white gowns
of beautiful women, the uniforms of the officers, the music,
flowers and delicate ices in a handsomely furnished home made
it difficult for one to realize that the function was
(04:38):
on the shores of bearing See instead of in the
capital of our country. There is an excellent hotel at
Saint Michael, and the large stores of the companies are
well supplied with furs and Indian and Eskimo wares, beautiful
ivory carvings, bidarkas Parka's Camelinka's baskets, and many other curios
(04:59):
made obtained here at more reasonable prices than unknown. There
are public bathhouses where one may float and splash in
red brown water that is never any other color, no
matter how long it may run, but which is always
pure and clean. No description of Saint Michael is complete
that does not include Lottie. No liquors are sold upon
(05:23):
the military reservation, and Lottie conducts a floating gravy upon
a scowl. It has been her custom each fall to
have her barge towed up the canal just beyond the
line of the military reservation, ten miles from the flagstaff
at the barracks, thus placing herself beyond the control of
the authorities, greatly to their chagrin. In summer, she anchors
(05:47):
her barge in one of the numerous bites along the shore,
and they are again powerless to interfere with her brilliantly
managed traffic, since it has been decided that their sway
extends over the land only. Copyright by E. A. Hegg Juno,
courtesy of Webster. And Stephen's Seattle Moonlight on Bearing Sea
(06:09):
copyright by E. A. Hegg Juno, courtesy of Webster and
Stephen's Seattle Moonlight on Bearing Sea. It is Lotti's practice
to have the barge made fast in such a way
that a boat can be run to it from the
shore on an endless line. One desiring a bottle of
whiskey approaches the boat and drops his money in order
(06:31):
into the bottom of it. The boat is then drawn
out to the barge, whiskey is substituted for the money,
and the purchaser pulls the boat ashore, where it is
left for the next customer. There is no witness to
the transaction, and it has been impossible to prove the
authorities claim who put the money in the whiskey into
(06:52):
the boat or took either. Lotty's barge has operated for
many years. Its illicit transaction could easily have been stopped
had the civil authorities on shore taken a firm stand
and worked in conjunction with the military. But there was
the usual jealousy as to the rights of the different officials,
(07:13):
and Lottie has profited by these conditions. Furthermore, many people
of the vicinity entertained a friendly feeling for Lottie, not
only those who were wont to draw the little boat
back and forth, but others in sheer admiration of the
ingenuity and skill with which she carried on her business.
She was careful in preserving order in her vicinity, was
(07:36):
very charitable, and frequently provided for natives who would have
otherwise suffered. Thus, by her diplomacy, self control, good business sense,
and many really worthy traits of character, Lottie has been
able to outweat the officials for years. Her barge still
floats upon the blue waves of Norton Sound. However, it
(07:59):
seems even to a woman that Lottie must be blessed
with a friend at court. We had been invited to
voyage from Saint Michael to Nome, a distance of a
hundred and eleven miles on the meteor a very small tug.
Being warned, however, that should the weather prove to be unfavorable,
(08:19):
our hardships would be almost unendurable. As there was only
an open after deck and no cabin in which to
take refuge, we boldlytook our chances, remaining three days at
s t Michael. Never had bearing Sea or Norton Sound
been known to be so beautiful as it was. On
(08:40):
that fourteenth day of August we started at nine in
the morning and until evening, the whole sea, as far
as the eye could reach in all directions, was as
smooth as satin, of the palest silvery blue. Never have
I seen its like, nor do I hope ever to
see it again, to think that such seductive beauty could
(09:02):
bloom upon a sea whereon in winter one may travel
for hundreds of miles on solid ice. At evening it
was still smooth, but its color burned to a silvery rose.
The waters we sailed now were almost sacred to some
of us over them. The brave and gallant Captain Cook
(09:22):
had sailed in seventeen seventy eight, naming Cape's Darby and
Denby on either side of Norton Bay. He also named
the bay and the Sound, and Bespero, Stuart and Sledge Islands,
and it was in this vicinity that he met the
family of Cripples. But of most poignant interest was Saint
Lawrence Island, lying far to our westward, discovered and named
(09:46):
by Vitis, bearing on his voyage of seventeen twenty eight.
If he had then sailed to the eastward for but
one day, every one has read of the terrors of
landing through the pounding surf of the open roadstead. At Nome,
large ships cannot approach within two miles of the sure
(10:07):
Passengers and freight are taken off in lighters and launches
when the weather is fair, but fair weather at Nome
is rough weather elsewhere when they call it rough at Nome,
passengers remain on the ships for days, waiting to land.
Frequently it is necessary to transfer passengers from the ships
(10:27):
to dories, from the dories to tugs, from the tugs
to flat barges. The barges are floated in as far
as possible, then an open platform miscall. The cage is
dropped from a great arm, which looks as though it
might break at any moment. The platform is crowded with
passengers and hoisted up over the boiling surf, swinging and
(10:51):
creaking in a hair crinkling fashion, and at last depositing
its large eyed burden upon the wharf. At Nome. I
had pitted cattle when I had seen them unloaded in
this manner at Valdas and other coast towns. We anchored
at eleven o'clock that night in the Nome roadstead. In
two minutes a launch was alongside, and a dozen gentlemen
(11:13):
came aboard to greet the governor. We were hastily transferred
in the purple dusk to the launch. The town brilliantly illuminated,
glittered like a string of jewels. Along the low beach.
Bells were ringing, whistles were blowing, bands were playing, and
all Gnome was on the beach shouting itself hoarse and welcome.
(11:36):
There was no surf, there was not a wave. There
was scarce a ripple on the sea. The launch ran
smoothly upon the beach and a gangway was put out.
It did not quite reached to dry land, and men
ran out in the water, picked us up unceremoniously and
carried us ashore. The most beautiful landing ever made at
(11:57):
Nome was the one made that night, and the people
said it was all arranged for the governor. There was
an enthusiastic reception at the Golden Gate Hotel, followed by
a week's brilliant functions in his honor. Three days later
the media came over from Saint Michael, with a distinguished
congressmen aboard. The weather was rough even for Nome, and
(12:21):
for three blessed days the media rolled in the roadstead,
and with every roll it went clear out of sight.
There were those at the hotel who differed politically from
the congressmen aboard the Little Tug, and like the people
of Nome, when the Senatorial Committee was landed under such
distressful circumstances a few years ago, their faces did not
(12:44):
put on mourning as they watched the media roll
Chapter forty nine. We were released from the sand bar
near midnight, and at eight o'clock on the following morning,
we steamed around a green and lovely point and entered
Norton Sound, in whose curving blue arm lies storied Saint Michael.
Saint Michael is situated on the island of the same name,
about sixty miles north of the mouth of the Yukon.
(00:23):
It was founded in eighteen thirty three by Michael Tebenkov
and was originally named Mikulovski Redout. The Russian buildings were
of spruce logs brought by sea from the Yukon and
Couscaquim rivers. As no timber grows in the vicinity of
Saint Michael or Nome, some of the original Russian buildings
(00:45):
yet remained, notably the storehouse and the Redoubt. The latter
is in hexagonal building of heavy hewn logs with sloping roof, flagstaff,
door and port holes. It stands upon the shore, within
a dozen steps of the famous cottage, the residence of
(01:05):
the managers of the Northern Commercial Company, under who's hospitable
roof every traveler of note has been entertained for many years,
and in front of it. The shore slopes green to
the water. Inside lie half a dozen rusty Russian cannons,
mutely testifying to the sanguinary past of the north. The
(01:26):
redoubt was attacked in eighteen thirty six by the hostile
Unalignments of the Vicinity, but it was successfully defended by Krupunov.
The Russians had a temporary landing place built out to
deep water to accommodate boats drawing five feet. This was
removed when ice formed in the bay. The tundra is
(01:46):
rolling with numerous pools that flame like brass at sunset.
Only low willows and alders grow on the island and
adjacent shores. The island is seven miles wide and twenty
five long, and is separated from the main land by
a tortuous channel as narrow as fifty feet in places.
(02:08):
The land gradually rises to low hills of volcanic origin
near the center of the island. These hills are called
the Shaman Mountains. The meadow upon which the main part
of the town and the buildings of the post are situated,
is as level as a vast parade ground, but the
land rises gently to a slender point that plunges out
(02:29):
into bearing sea, whose blue waves beat themselves to foam
and music upon its thunder covered cliffs. On the day
that I stood upon this headland, the sunlight lay like
gold upon the island. The winds were low, murmurous, and soothing.
Flowers spent their color rie a see about me. The
thunder was as soft as deep napped velvet, and the
(02:51):
blue waves, set with flashes of gold, went pushing languorously
away to the shores of another continent. Scarcely a stone's
throw from me was a small mountain island, only large
enough for a few graves, but with no graves upon it.
In all the world, there cannot be another spot so
(03:12):
noble in which to lie down and rest, when life's
fevers and life's passions all are past. There alone, but
never again to be lonely facing that sublime sweep of
sapphire summer sea, set here and there with islands, and
those miles upon miles of glittering winter ice, with white
(03:33):
sails drifting by in summer and in winter, the wild
and roaring march of icebergs, with summer nights of lavender dusk,
and winter nights set with the great stars, and the
magnificent brilliance of northern lights, with the perfume of flowers,
the songs of birds, the music of lone winds and
waves out on the edge of the world. Could any
(03:54):
clipped and cared for plot be so noble a place
in which to lie down for the last time time?
Could any be so close to God? The entire island
is a military reservation, and it is only by concessions
from the government that commercial and transportation companies may establish
themselves there. Fort Saint Michael is a two company post
(04:18):
under the command of Captain Stokes, At whose residence or
reception was tendered to Governor Hagat. The filmy white gowns
of beautiful women, the uniforms of the officers, the music,
flowers and delicate ices in a handsomely furnished home made
it difficult for one to realize that the function was
(04:38):
on the shores of bearing See instead of in the
capital of our country. There is an excellent hotel at
Saint Michael, and the large stores of the companies are
well supplied with furs and Indian and Eskimo wares, beautiful
ivory carvings, bidarkas Parka's Camelinka's baskets, and many other curios
(04:59):
made obtained here at more reasonable prices than unknown. There
are public bathhouses where one may float and splash in
red brown water that is never any other color, no
matter how long it may run, but which is always
pure and clean. No description of Saint Michael is complete
that does not include Lottie. No liquors are sold upon
(05:23):
the military reservation, and Lottie conducts a floating gravy upon
a scowl. It has been her custom each fall to
have her barge towed up the canal just beyond the
line of the military reservation, ten miles from the flagstaff
at the barracks, thus placing herself beyond the control of
the authorities, greatly to their chagrin. In summer, she anchors
(05:47):
her barge in one of the numerous bites along the shore,
and they are again powerless to interfere with her brilliantly
managed traffic, since it has been decided that their sway
extends over the land only. Copyright by E. A. Hegg Juno,
courtesy of Webster. And Stephen's Seattle Moonlight on Bearing Sea
(06:09):
copyright by E. A. Hegg Juno, courtesy of Webster and
Stephen's Seattle Moonlight on Bearing Sea. It is Lotti's practice
to have the barge made fast in such a way
that a boat can be run to it from the
shore on an endless line. One desiring a bottle of
whiskey approaches the boat and drops his money in order
(06:31):
into the bottom of it. The boat is then drawn
out to the barge, whiskey is substituted for the money,
and the purchaser pulls the boat ashore, where it is
left for the next customer. There is no witness to
the transaction, and it has been impossible to prove the
authorities claim who put the money in the whiskey into
(06:52):
the boat or took either. Lotty's barge has operated for
many years. Its illicit transaction could easily have been stopped
had the civil authorities on shore taken a firm stand
and worked in conjunction with the military. But there was
the usual jealousy as to the rights of the different officials,
(07:13):
and Lottie has profited by these conditions. Furthermore, many people
of the vicinity entertained a friendly feeling for Lottie, not
only those who were wont to draw the little boat
back and forth, but others in sheer admiration of the
ingenuity and skill with which she carried on her business.
She was careful in preserving order in her vicinity, was
(07:36):
very charitable, and frequently provided for natives who would have
otherwise suffered. Thus, by her diplomacy, self control, good business sense,
and many really worthy traits of character, Lottie has been
able to outweat the officials for years. Her barge still
floats upon the blue waves of Norton Sound. However, it
(07:59):
seems even to a woman that Lottie must be blessed
with a friend at court. We had been invited to
voyage from Saint Michael to Nome, a distance of a
hundred and eleven miles on the meteor a very small tug.
Being warned, however, that should the weather prove to be unfavorable,
(08:19):
our hardships would be almost unendurable. As there was only
an open after deck and no cabin in which to
take refuge, we boldlytook our chances, remaining three days at
s t Michael. Never had bearing Sea or Norton Sound
been known to be so beautiful as it was. On
(08:40):
that fourteenth day of August we started at nine in
the morning and until evening, the whole sea, as far
as the eye could reach in all directions, was as
smooth as satin, of the palest silvery blue. Never have
I seen its like, nor do I hope ever to
see it again, to think that such seductive beauty could
(09:02):
bloom upon a sea whereon in winter one may travel
for hundreds of miles on solid ice. At evening it
was still smooth, but its color burned to a silvery rose.
The waters we sailed now were almost sacred to some
of us over them. The brave and gallant Captain Cook
(09:22):
had sailed in seventeen seventy eight, naming Cape's Darby and
Denby on either side of Norton Bay. He also named
the bay and the Sound, and Bespero, Stuart and Sledge Islands,
and it was in this vicinity that he met the
family of Cripples. But of most poignant interest was Saint
Lawrence Island, lying far to our westward, discovered and named
(09:46):
by Vitis, bearing on his voyage of seventeen twenty eight.
If he had then sailed to the eastward for but
one day, every one has read of the terrors of
landing through the pounding surf of the open roadstead. At Nome,
large ships cannot approach within two miles of the sure
(10:07):
Passengers and freight are taken off in lighters and launches
when the weather is fair, but fair weather at Nome
is rough weather elsewhere when they call it rough at Nome,
passengers remain on the ships for days, waiting to land.
Frequently it is necessary to transfer passengers from the ships
(10:27):
to dories, from the dories to tugs, from the tugs
to flat barges. The barges are floated in as far
as possible, then an open platform miscall. The cage is
dropped from a great arm, which looks as though it
might break at any moment. The platform is crowded with
passengers and hoisted up over the boiling surf, swinging and
(10:51):
creaking in a hair crinkling fashion, and at last depositing
its large eyed burden upon the wharf. At Nome. I
had pitted cattle when I had seen them unloaded in
this manner at Valdas and other coast towns. We anchored
at eleven o'clock that night in the Nome roadstead. In
two minutes a launch was alongside, and a dozen gentlemen
(11:13):
came aboard to greet the governor. We were hastily transferred
in the purple dusk to the launch. The town brilliantly illuminated,
glittered like a string of jewels. Along the low beach.
Bells were ringing, whistles were blowing, bands were playing, and
all Gnome was on the beach shouting itself hoarse and welcome.
(11:36):
There was no surf, there was not a wave. There
was scarce a ripple on the sea. The launch ran
smoothly upon the beach and a gangway was put out.
It did not quite reached to dry land, and men
ran out in the water, picked us up unceremoniously and
carried us ashore. The most beautiful landing ever made at
(11:57):
Nome was the one made that night, and the people
said it was all arranged for the governor. There was
an enthusiastic reception at the Golden Gate Hotel, followed by
a week's brilliant functions in his honor. Three days later
the media came over from Saint Michael, with a distinguished
congressmen aboard. The weather was rough even for Nome, and
(12:21):
for three blessed days the media rolled in the roadstead,
and with every roll it went clear out of sight.
There were those at the hotel who differed politically from
the congressmen aboard the Little Tug, and like the people
of Nome, when the Senatorial Committee was landed under such
distressful circumstances a few years ago, their faces did not
(12:44):
put on mourning as they watched the media roll
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