Kashaya
On September
22, 1817, the Indian chiefs, Chu-gu-an, Amat-tan, Gem-le-le and others, appeared at Fort
Ross by invitation. Their greeting, as translated, extended their thanks for the
invitation.
Captain
Lieutenant Hagemeister expressed gratitude to them in the name of the Russian-American
Company for ceding to the Company land for a fort, buildings and enterprises, in regions
belonging to Chu-gu-an, [land] which the inhabitants call Med-eny-ny. [Hagemeister] said
he hoped they would not have reason to regret having the Russians as neighbors.
Having
heard [what was] translated for him, Chu-gu-an and a second, Amattan, whose dwelling was
also not far off, replied, “We are very satisfied with the occupation of this place
by the Russians, because we now live in safety from other Indians, who formerly would
attack us and this security began only from the time of [the Russian] settlement.”
After
this friendly response, gifts were presented to the Toion and the others: and to the
Chief, Chu-gu-an, a silver medal was entrusted, ornamented with the Imperial Russian seal
and the inscription “allies [soiuznye] of Russia” and it was stated that this
[medal] entitles him to receive respect from the Russians, and for that reason he should
not come to them without the medal. It also imposes on him the obligation of loyalty and
assistance, in case this is needed. In response to that he and the others declared their
readiness and expressed their gratitude for the reception.
After
the hospitality, when [the Indians] departed from the fort, a one-gun salute
was fired in honor of the chief Toion.
We,
the undersigned, hereby testify that in our presence the chief Toion responded in exactly
this way.
Navy
Captain-Lieutenant and Cavalier Hagemeister
Staff doctor
and Court Counselor Kerner
Commerce
Counselor and Administrator of Fort Ross Ivan Kuskov
Assistant
Navigator 14th class [Ivan M.] Kislakovskii
Company
Agent Kirill Khlebnikov
Commercial
Navigator Prokofii Tumanin