The National tribune., 1888-06-07

in the habit of proftiDg by the darkness and
gloom of night TO make their attacks"
The repeated annual visits of American and
British trading brigs and scbooners TO this Sit
kan region soon after that final establishment
of the Russians at Sitka lin 1S04-5) had en-
abled these fierce energetic inhabitants, or
kolosh, Of the Alexander Archipelago TO be-
come possessed very generally of muskets, pls-
tolls, aud even several of the chiefs had small
brass 2-pounder cannon aud little copper fal-
comets -! This early possession of and iamil-
iarity with such weapons rendered those saw
ages doubly restive and dangerous to the peace
OF the Russians and their lives as well.
Immediately
AFTER THE TERRIBLE CHAsTIsEMENT
which Baranov inflicted on the Sitkans in 1904,
whereby he punished them for massacreing his
colony at Stka in 1900, these defeated and
sorely-mortiied Indians sullenly burned their
dead and healed their wounded IN strict Sc
clusion; they did so with whispered deter
mination, treasured in their hearts to take the
speediest revenge upon these white men and
their native allies who had thus invaded their
country; they cTaftly sent in promises OF peace
to Bar3B0y, and swOre allegiance, SO as 10
smother his suspicious aud disarm his posts as
far as they could; but they soon saw that the
wary and energetic Russian manager was not
lulled into negligence or confidence; so, while
thEs brooding over their injuries and studying
plans for revenge, they finally, IN August,
1906, agreed upon an attack, which the small
and less vigilantly- guarded post Of Iakootat
invited. 1t did not deter these savages for a
moment when they reflected upon the risk
they took by running up that forbidding, desc
late coast from Cross Sound in their open ca
noes, crowded with their warriors, They chose
the early days of August, because it was then
the custom of the Russians TO reft their
sTA-OTTER HUNTING PARTIES
twice a year: the Spring and Summer catch
was always brought into honstantiuOvski and
Yakootat by the 1st to 10th of every August /;
the hunters supplies Of cloth, sugar, -four, to-
bacco. ammunition, etc, renewed, and then
these men took their departure for the field
again, not to return until Midwinter, when
they would leisurely reft anew for the Spring
season.
Therefore Yakootatsbi, at the time of their
attack, would be well supplied with food and
ammunition. and the peltries Of the entire
catch of the district for the last six months.
So, eight large canoes with more than 300 ho-
loshian warriors pushed off under cover Of
night from the beach at Cape Spencer, struck
out into the Pacific impelled by the powerful
strokes Of q hundred paddle blades welded by
practiced muscular arms, these crafts sped away
up the coast on their deadly mission. In order
that no premature alarm might be given, this
war feet Travelled only by night, making two
day camps, so that about midnight OF the third
day out these fends were swiftly and silently
padding into the still shoal waters Of Yakoo-
tat Bay.
Noiselessly they landed, crept up from the
beach. surrounded the stockade, and then, at a
signal with deafening yells,
THEY SCALED THE WOODEN BARRIERS
and slew every human being within the shelter
of the post except the Chief Traders wife and
his small ChildTen-siX Russians and a large
number Of Aleutes -; how many Of the latter
we viii never know, since the Slavic chronicle
does not descend TO such small details as the
counting OF Aleutian dead.
The sayages were now fired into an idiotic
state OF vindictive frenzy by their success in
the destruction and piliage Of IaROotatski.
They at once determined TO pursue their errand
of murder and robbery even into the Russian
stronghold Of Noochek; they resolved to treat
Konstantuovski precisely as they had just
served Yakootat. Losing no time, they applied
. torch to the buildings of the despoiled post,
and threw the bodies OF their unfortunate vic
tins upon the blazing timbers; then in the
yellow glare OF this holocaust. they re-embarkcd
and stcered for the mouth OF Copper River,
where they knew that a few miles south Of a
small, Wretched native settiement-Alaganik-
a single Russian storeh0use was erected. This
little "odinatscka" was rided promptly, but
the ChOOgatch Indian ia charge Of it was spared,
with the distinct understanding that he should
pilot them to Noochek safely or lose his life.
He told them, however, that they never would
be able to surprise that post as they had sue
ceeded IA doing Yakootat; that they must
manage 70 get inside during the day
UNDER PRETENsE OF TRADING,
then. at a signal all rise at once and turn upon