First Meeting

Heading west, the St. Peter passed through the Kodiak Island group. By the end of August, the St. Peter had reached the Shumagin Islands off the end of the Alaska Peninsula. On September 4, Bering and his crew made the first recorded meeting between Russians and Alaska Natives. According to Steller:

we heard a loud shout ....A little later, however, we saw two small boats paddling toward our vessel from shore ....both men in their boats began, while still paddling, together to make an uninterrupted speech in a loud voice of which none of our interpreters could understand a word.

After an exchange of gifts, the Natives invited the Russians ashore, and ten men ventured onto the island, where they met with nine Aleuts. When the Russians prepared to leave, the Aleuts tried to hold one back. He wrestled free and swam to the departing boat while the Russians fired their muskets into the air. The next day, nine Aleuts paddled to the St. Peter and exchanged more goods. The following day, the Russians sailed on. This was the first encounter between Europeans and Alaska Natives of the expedition. 

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