might by accident arrive from Okotsk. Things were in this state, when the commissary Cheekaerdin marched from Verchnei with his tribute, escorted by the troops of the fort, for the mouth of the Kamtschatka river, where a vessel was lying to convey them to the Anadir. Besides waiting for the departure of Beering, the revolt was to be suspended till this vessel should be out at sea, notice of which was to be given to the different chiefs. Accordingly, the moment she was out of sight, they began to massacre every Russian and Cossack that came in their way, and to set fire to their houses. A large body ascended the river Kamtschatka, made themselves masters of the fort and _ostrog_ the commissary had just quitted, put to death all that were in it, and, except the church and fort, reduced the whole to ashes. Here it was that they first learned that the Russian vessel, in which the commissary had embarked, was still on the coast, which determined them to defend themselves in the fort. The wind fortunately soon brought the vessel back to the harbour; for had she proceeded in her voyage, nothing probably could have prevented the utter extirpation of the Russians. The Cossacks finding, on their landing, that their houses had been burnt to the ground, and their wives and children either massacred or carried off prisoners, were enraged to madness. They marched directly to the fort, which they attacked with great fury, and the natives as resolutely defended, till at length, the powder-magazine taking fire, the fort was blown up, together with most of those that were in it. Various rencounters succeeded to this event, in which much blood was spilled on both sides. At length, two of the principal leaders being slain, and the third (after dispatching his wife and children, to prevent their falling into the enemy’s hand) having put an end to himself, peace was established. From that period every thing went on very peaceably, till the year 1740, when a few Russians lost their lives in a tumult which was attended with no farther consequences; and, except the insurrection at Bolcheretsk in 1770, (which hath been already noticed), there has been no disturbance since.