Paddlecraft of the Sub-Arctic
Description of Russian interaction with Native Alaskans and their watercraft on the voyage of Vitus Bering.
From: 1700 C.E. To: 1922 C.E.
Location: Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
From Bering's Voyage: an Account of the Efforts of the Russians to Determine the Relation of Asia And America by Frank Alfred Golder
Log Book of the St. Peter: Footnotes to Log of September 5
A baidar (Russ. baidara) is a large open skin boat able to accommodate a number of passengers and a considerable amount of freight. A baidarka (Russ. baidarka) is a small skin boat covered all over, except the round openings at the top to admit the paddler or paddlers. The baidar is related to the Eskimo umiak, the baidarka to the kayak. Baidars may be seen today in the Bering Sea and baidarkas in the Aleutian Islands.
When the Russians first came in contact with the Aleuts the baidarkas were all of the "one-hatch" type, that is, large enough for one person. This type has almost entirely disappeared and has been succeeded by the "two-hatch" baidarka, and occasionally one may even see a "three-hatch" baidarka. These little boats are very light and strong, and the Aleuts are very skillful in handling them. Sauer, who visited Unalaska in 1700, has left a full description of these skin boats:
"The baidars, or boats, of Oonalashka, are infinitely superior to those of any other island. If perfect symmetry, smoothness, and proportion constitute beauty, they are beautiful; to me they appeared so beyond anything that I ever beheld. I have seen some of them as transparent as oiled paper, through which you could trace every formation of the inside, and the manner of the native's sitting in it: whose light dress, painted and plumed bonnet, together with his perfect ease and activity, added infinitely to its elegance. Their first appearance struck me with amazement beyond expression." (Martin Sauer: An Account of a Geographical and Astronomical Expedition to the Northern Parts of Russia . . . by Commodore Joseph Billings, London, 1802, p. 157.)
This was a form of greeting more or less common to all the natives of the northwest coast of America. Cook met with it in Nootka Sound.
"On their first coming, they generally went through a singular mode of introducing themselves. They would paddle, with all their strength, quite round both ships, a Chief, or other principal person on the canoe, standing up with a spear or some other weapon in his hand and speaking, or rather hollowing, all the time." (James Cook: A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, London, 1784, Vol. 2, p. 273 )
Khitrov's journal:
"At 4:30 we heard shouts of human voices from the island alongside of which we were at anchor. At 6 o'clock two baidarkas were seen coming towards us, one man in each boat, and when they were within 50 fathoms of the ship they stopped and called in their own tongue, but our Chukchi and Koriak interpreters could not make out what they said nor could they make themselves understood: when they shouted to them [the islanders], because they pointed to their ears and to the island. On the island people were also calling. One of the two men just mentioned paddled up close to the ship but not quite alongside.
At the order of Captain Commander Bering we threw overboard a piece of board on which were tied a number of presents, namely, 5 ½ arshins of red material, 2 small mirrors, 2 strings of Chinese iron beads, 20 small copper bells and 5 [knives?]. The American received these things with pleasure and in return threw to us as a present two thinly shaped rods to one of which were tied bird's feathers and to the other bird's claws with feathers on them. The feathers we identified as those of the falcon.
When we had taken these things they paddled away for the shore and called to us and pointed to the land. We lowered the longboat into the water for the purpose of going ashore. In the boat was sent, by the order of the Captain, Lieutenant Waxel, who took with him several members of the crew, (who were armed), a few presents, and Russian liquor.
He was gone about two hours, returning at 8 o'clock and reporting to the Captain Commander that when he came to the island on which were the Americans he offered them presents but they would not take them. He offered one of the islanders a glass of liquor, but as soon as he tasted it he spat it out and returned the glass. The lieutenant allowed several of the men, among them being the interpreter, to land; but he himself remained in the boat which he anchored out a little distance from shore, for owing to the strong wind and submerged rocks near the beach it was dangerous to approach it.
The Americans led the interpreter to their camp and gave him whale blubber, but when he attempted to leave them to return to the boat, nine of the Americans seized him and would not let him go, which shows that they regarded him as one of their own people even though he is a Kamchadal by origin. In order to free the interpreter an order was given to fire off several guns in the air, and when that was done the Americans fell down on the ground, letting go of the interpreter, who hurried to the boat. When our party was ready to leave the Americans seized the painter and started to haul the boat ashore. Seeing this, the order was given to cut the painter and leave the anchor and pull for the ship. In the drawing attached is given the position of the bay and the island, and a sketch of the Americans and their hair-seal skin boats.''
Golder, Frank Alfred, 1877-1929. Bering's Voyage: an Account of the Efforts of the Russians to Determine the Relation of Asia And America. New York: American Geographical Society, 1922.
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