The Promyshlenniki

While Siberian merchants became wealthy from the fur trade, few of the actual fur hunters did.  These men who voyaged to Alaska seeking furs were known as the Promyshlenniki.  Living a hard life on the very edge of Russian society, they were known as a rough lot, with a reputation for being illiterate, hard-drinking, and violent.

A typical fur-hunting voyage left Siberia mid-summer and arrived in the Aleutian Islands by August. When a suitable harbor was found, parties went ashore to build winter quarters and gather sea lion meat and blubber for winter food. Most often, these winter shelters were like Aleut barabaras. Voyages sometimes lasted several years. They were paid based on the number of furs they collected.

The promyshlenniki soon worked their way east through the Aleutian Islands to mainland Alaska. Upon arriving at a new location, they would gather as many furs as possible.  When animal populations became exhausted from over-hunting, they moved further on to the next set of islands.

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