The
Great Northern Expedition expanded Russian geographical knowledge to many of the
Aleutian Islands and the mainland of
Alaska from the
Alaska Peninsula to near the later site of
New Archangel. News of the many
Sea otter populations along these lands quickly drew the attention of many Siberia-based
promyshlenniki. Few had naval experience, though many began to travel the
Bering Sea on
kochs made from timber adjacent to the
Sea of Okhotsk. The first Russian
promyshlennik to travel east was Emelian Basov, who sailed to
Bering Island in 1743.
Promyshlenniki based out of
Okhotsk or
Petropavlovsk, made provisions for their yearly operations in the Aleutians by killing
sea cows of the
Commander Islands to extinction. At first the traders returned to
Kamchatka after every season but eventually
trading posts were established in the territory. These posts began in the Aleutians and moved eastward toward the
Alaska Peninsula rather than north to the Yukon delta and
Bering Strait. Many
promyshlenniki became employees of the Russian-American Company (RAC) after it was established in 1799. Under the RAC
promyshlenniki performed tasks such as hunting, supervision of sea otter hunting parties, carpentry, shipbuilding, farming and ranching at
Fort Ross, California, guard duty, and a variety of other work. An example of an important RAC employee who was born into
serfdom near
Kursk, sold to the RAC, called a
promyshlennik by the RAC, and played a key role in RAC expansion into California, was
Timofei Nikitich Tarakanov.
Relations with Aleut and Alutiiq people The
promyshlenniki were adept at hunting on land but they lacked the skills to hunt on water, where
sea otters lived. The
promyshlenniki then turned to the native
Aleut and
Alutiiq men to do their hunting for them. These
Alaska Natives were trained at a young age to hunt sea otters. The Russians took the women and children hostage and forced the men to hunt for them to ensure the safety of their families. The offspring of Russian men and Native women gave rise to a small but influential population of
Alaskan Creoles.
Lifestyle As time passed many of the Russian
promyshlenniki took Aleut partners, had children, and adopted a native lifestyle during their time in the
Aleutian Islands. In 1794, with direct authorization from Catherine II, the Siberian governor Ivan Pil sent instructions that managers of
Shelikhov-Golikov Company at
Kodiak Island should "encourage" single Russian men to marry native women. While the
Vancouver Expedition was exploring the northern Pacific, the explorers visited several Russian fur posts.
Joseph Whidbey visited a
Lebedev-Lastochkin Company station at
Tyonek, with Vancouver describing the
promyshlenniki located there as: == See also ==