and his companions pillaging her, and pulling her in pieces for the
sake of the iron. This sight determined them to continue their course,
which Chinnikoff perceiving, ordered his men to pursue and massacre
them. The unfortunate Japanese, seeing a canoe in pursuit, and which
they could not escape, apprehended what was to follow. Some of them
leaped into the sea; others, in vain, had recourse to prayers and
entreaties. They were all massacred but two, by the very sabres they
had presented to their supposed friends a few days before. One of the
two was a boy about eleven years old, named Gowga, who had accompanied
his father, the ship's pilot, to learn navigation; the other was a
middle-aged man, the supercargo, and called Sosa.

Chinnikoff soon met with the punishment due to his crimes. The two
strangers were conducted to Petersburgh, where they were sent to the
academy, with proper instructors and attendants; and several young men
were, at the same time, put about them for the purpose of learning the
Japanese language.

They were thrown on the coast of Kamtschatka in 1730. The younger
survived the absence from his country five, the other six years. Their
portraits are to be seen in the cabinet of the empress at
Petersburgh.--Vid. Krascheninnikoff, vol. ii. part 4. Fr. Ed.

[91] Attempts have been made at different periods by the Russians to open
up a trade with Japan; and, indeed, one purpose of the voyage which
Captain Krusenstern undertook, was to conciliate the emperor or
government of that island. No one, who is at all acquainted with the
history of the people, will be surprised to learn that the Japanese
did not think themselves honoured by the embassy; that they even
refused the presents which had been carried out, and would not concede