The Alaska sourdough., 1911-11-07
peatedly, attacked both on land and


in $50 when his post at Archangle was
destroyed by the Indians. To defeat
from the elements he submitted, and
accepted it as the dictation Of high
er viii than his own; but to be de-
feated by man was a condition which
he could not bow.
Although opportunity was his to have
amassed great fortune, Baranoff left
Sitka comparatively a poor man, de-
pendent upon the government for sup
port during the remaining years that
he might have lived.
In closing his statement of account
ability for the property of the COM
pany there was, with but a single ex-
ception, not discrepancy. Every
thing from the largest land holding to
the smallest piece of gear in ships
equipment was accounted for, the ex-
ception resting in barrel Of rum
which had been expended to purpose
for which Baranoff failed to give ac-
count
During Baranoff 8 administration, the
net earnings Of the American Russian
company in Alaska, amounted to near
six millions of dollars Furs to the
value of three MILLIONS of dollars had
been shipped to Canton, China
1T is left much to our imagination to
consider Baranoff s emotion as he stood
on the deck of the Kutsuof and wat
ched the little city, the fruit of his
tolls for more than quarter of a cen
fury, fading away in the distance.
He must have left Alaska with a
feeling of reluctance; yet in his de-
clining years, the memory Of his child
1000 seemed to lave usnrpeG The
thought of consummation of any fur
Their ambitions. He believed his work
to have been done; and the joy Of re
turning to the home of his boyhood
stood above the sorrow o. leaving his
Alaska connections. Such reward, how
ever, was destined never to be his.
For years before his surrender Of
Alaska, Baranoff lived a life much con-
trasted with that Of his earlier career
He manifested a. fondness for the
church, and as though in atonement
for the wrongs he might have done it,
he gave personally to it's support, and
his official authority was diligently en-
pioy ed in further1ng the work Of the
church in Alaska
Enroute to Russia, the Kutsuoff
touched at Batavia, for repairs and sup
plies. Baranoff, during the stay Of the
vessel in that port remained ashore
where the climatic conditions were abb
solutely contrasted with those Of the
Northland from whence he had come
The sudden and direct change had its
evil effects; and the tropical fever at
tackled the body unable to withstand
it's ravages. The vessels sailing was
hurried from Batavia, in the hope that
again at sea, Baranoff would recover;
but his condition became more critical;
and on the fourth day out of port,
April %, 1919, death overhauled the
homeward bound ship and claimed him
No vigils were kept at his bier; no
cortege followed the corpse in state to
its final resting place and no orator pro
claimed his virtues to q thousand
mourners. He died among the men
with whom he had cast his lot, men
with whom he had lived for 50 long
sailors; and among these few there
was the sincere feeling of sorrow in
the loss of one, aside from his many
shortcomings, whom they could call a
friend.
The body Of the "Little Czar' was
sewn in canvas, weighted with chains
and consigned to the deep. The ele-
ment which had buffeted him in life.
cast his almost helpless and desparing
ON the rocky, barren shores, the ele.