Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

One thing Solovyov has been overlooking is that the current head of the Russian-American company in the Americas is also surnamed Muravyov.

Matvey Ivanovich Muravyov, Navy Lieutenant Commander, Commander of the Sitka Garrison in Russian America, and also in charge of Russian Alaska.

The matters in Roseburg were not primarily his responsibility; his main area of ​​responsibility was Alaska.

Unlike his predecessor's colonial policies, he was relatively friendly to the indigenous people. He not only built hospitals in the colonies, but also allowed the indigenous people to return to their original areas of activity, and even trade became more frequent.

After the Native Americans adapted to the presence of the Russians, they treated them very well. Except for a few tribes that were actually at war with the Russians at the time, everyone was willing to come here to do business and exchange their local products for various goods from the Russians.

Even Russian and American companies have seen a slight increase in revenue in Alaska, but they have struggled to expand their operations and have a limited number of staff.

While Sitka is suitable for the thousand or so residents who work there, it is not a suitable place to be the capital for the future plans of Russian America.

After seeing this situation, Matvey was also looking for a suitable capital for Russian America, but Rossburg was definitely not an option.

At that time, that area was still within Mexican territory, and Russian America would not take action in California without receiving specific orders from St. Petersburg.

Even though the Tsar decided to send two more Muravyovs to Rosberg in 1823, and repeatedly reinforced the troops by 600 men under the pretext of increasing supplies and troop rotation, it would still take them until 1824 to reach America, which was not the East Coast and required a detour.

It is worth noting that several provinces in Central America are also unwilling to be part of Mexico and have a certain inclination towards independence.

While it's unlikely they would actually use that route, it does indicate that centrifugal forces within Mexico are still quite strong.

The Mexican government faces many problems, but in Rosburg, it's not advisable to create a tense atmosphere right now.

Matvey abandoned his plan to make Fort Rothschild the new capital and instead set sail south in a small boat, intending to explore the areas that British Royal Navy officer Vancouver had been venturing into, hoping to find some reward.

Based on intelligence gathered from previous circumnavigations and Russian naval expeditions near Vancouver Island, the local tribes were generally friendly towards white people, although small-scale conflicts and bloodshed frequently occurred between them due to tribal disputes.

So Matvey decided to try his luck there, but his schooner, the Sitka, ran aground south of Vancouver Island.

Even more absurdly, the hull was not damaged, but the rudder broke down. With the northwest wind, they drifted to the depths of the bay and had to run aground.

After the dozens of sailors disembarked, they were preparing to set up a camp on the spot, but they did not expect that thick smoke would rise from behind the distant hill.

According to Native American custom, this means they're going to fight.

Matvey Muravyov then ordered everyone to prepare for battle, and twelve sailors carrying the latest 1820 breech-loading rifles took their positions and prepared to fight.

Matvey knew the rules of the Indians: before a battle, they would make a final negotiation by sending a tribal warrior with an axe. If the warrior offered smoke, the two sides would call a truce; if not, war would break out.

This is also part of the "cat and mouse team can't be played without being nerfed" series. Of course, the nearby tribes probably don't have the habit of scalping, and even when they defeat the enemy, they won't exterminate them, but will release a group of prisoners to warn the other side not to invade again.

The Native Americans here seem quite civilized, even more advanced than the Geneva Conventions. They generally don't mistreat prisoners of war, except for those killed on the spot. If the prisoner agrees, they can be promoted from the lowest rank in the tribe that captured him.
But Matvey Muravyov was overthinking it. When they arrived, there were indeed tribes gathered there, but not for war. They were calling on members of neighboring villages and tribes for a meeting.

They didn't even know that Russians had arrived. After the tribal chiefs, shamans, and warrior leaders finished smoking, the lowest-ranking warrior leader began to speak.

If Wanyan Aguda were to attack, he would be greatly surprised, wondering why the order of speaking here is the same as ours, with the lowest-ranking leader starting first.
This is also one of the benefits of primitive military democracy: everyone can express their opinions.

The topic of their discussion was a meeting of the neighboring Duwamish and Sukwamish tribal alliance, along with several surrounding small tribes, to prepare for war against the Koichang tribe on Vancouver Island.

Kisap, the current chief, and Seattle, the leader of the warriors, are uncle and nephew.

Kisap advocated for a counterattack, while Seattle, though relatively peace-loving and generally not fond of taking the initiative, was a tall, loud-voiced, and robust soldier, standing at 1.8 meters.

However, sometimes, the big guy really doesn't like to actively join the battle, even though he is very brave in war.

Previously, when the Kaoyichang tribe attacked their territory, he led his young men to repel them. Half of the enemies on the five dugout canoes were killed, and the rest fled in disarray. The uncle and nephew even released a group of prisoners as a gesture of goodwill, indicating that the Kaoyichang tribe should not invade again, otherwise they would cut off their heads, sink their dugout canoes, dismantle their tents, and burn their villages.

However, the Kaoyichang people did not seem to accept this. They were quite warlike and would launch attacks on nearby tribes, whether nomadic or settled, to demonstrate their sovereignty in the area.

So Kisap started a meeting. Halfway through the meeting, at dusk, the tribal warriors on patrol noticed a campfire on the beach and even saw the outline of a ship.

Indigenous people usually have very good eyesight, and they can tell that the canoes belong to locals, or perhaps people from the surrounding area, but the boats with sails are all owned by white people.

There are good white people and bad white people, but these tribes are relatively lucky. They are far away from the bad white people, and the explorers who pass by are generally friendly. But the fur traders are different. Those who speak with a lisp and have an eagle on their flag are combative, but they usually just come to do business.

But some people are different. They know that those who wear red coats are a mixed bag. Those who wear "warrior uniforms" are usually more civilized. But if they wear all sorts of clothes, according to news from some Sioux tribes in the east, they may not be good people.

Explorers and settlers clearly represent two different paths: the former explore and do business, while the latter come to seize territory.

But even among those vying for territory, there must be a hierarchy.

At least the Russians had a good reputation in Rosburg and several nearby outposts, and they often invited tribal elders from the surrounding areas to banquets, where they also frequently exchanged goods and resources.

Seattle sat there, clutching a Russian-made breech-loading rifle, an early version without rifling, which he still cherished.

The firearms used by the Kaoyichang tribe were far inferior to theirs, being the type that loaded bullets from the front. Kisap and Seattle had rescued Russian sailors in the past and received two rifles as a reward. This was already the top fighting force among the nearby tribes. When the uncle and nephew were not on campaign, they only allowed the most senior warriors in the tribe to use these two guns, which they called "fire-starting canes".

That's roughly the idea:
"Ron, this thing is still the best!"

They also helped British sailors by providing them with supplies, and in the process, they received telescopes and other trinkets. A pocket watch belonging to a Royal Navy officer who died there was also given to the uncle and nephew as a keepsake.

Therefore, this tribal alliance had some sense of time, and was in line with the current civilized world.

Good deeds are rewarded. The captains of the ships they rescued and helped formed deep friendships with them. Vancouver even went back to Vancouver and spread the word about the friendly Indigenous people, which the British also believed.

When Americans arrived and settled here, the initial residents were quite friendly, but that changed later. Seattle had to leave the city in his later years, which is quite ironic.

Now that there are stranded ships, Seattle has decided to go and check on behalf of the tribe.

He knew a little bit of the explorer's language and could say a few words.

For example, "Bevo" means beer in Russian. Native Americans also like to drink alcohol, but they have a low alcohol tolerance, so they can easily accept low-alcohol drinks.

Of course, he had also seen kvass, made in Sitka and Rosberg, as well as wine.

In addition, there are some words used in conversation, which would surprise even Solovyov.

The phrase "Hello, Comrade" is used when greeting someone in Seattle.

If Solovyov knew, he would understand why the great-grandson of the coachman he hired in the Caucasus was called the Great Chief of North America.

Seeing that these people, who had feathers on their heads, showed no hostility and could even utter a few words or short sentences in Russian, Matvey Muravyov ordered his men to raise their guns and then stepped forward with a translator and an Aleutian follower.

"Hello, friends. Our ship has run aground here, so our stay is not an offense to you."

“Friends, friends who have come here, if you smoke, you are our guests, and the smoke coming from your pipe is a good omen. We are also willing to help all friends who pass by. Welcome to the homeland of the Sukwamish people.”

Tobacco was indeed an essential item during long voyages. Matvey Muravyov also had a pipe, though it was small, unlike the axe-shaped pipe that Seattle carried on his waist, which he smoked with friends and used as an axe to chop people up with enemies.

Even the Native Americans viewed these boatmen as good white men because their pipes were always smoking.

Since they welcomed him, Matvey Muravyov led his men ashore, leaving only a few to guard the boat.

When Kisap learned of this, he welcomed it, as white men who sailed by ship always brought good things and were generally not hostile.

The two sides also had to talk. The Russians were always straightforward, and they even brought out supplies from the ship to share with the tribe members.

Problems that can be solved at the dinner table are easily solved.

However, today's meeting is attended by young and middle-aged men, while the women are all at home. Otherwise, the strongest and healthiest officers and sailors would probably have to work hard.

When they learned that the people had come here to establish a city, Kisap and Seattle, the uncle and nephew, knew what a "city" was: ten or more villages united to settle in one place, elect a chief above the chief to govern the place, and the people there did not necessarily need to hunt or farm; they might be craftsmen, and there might even be shamans with several witch doctors in the city to treat people's illnesses.

It seems there's no problem.

Matvey Muravyov, after hearing this, was both amused and exasperated, but he also marveled at how well these indigenous people understood the outside world.

"Friends, why do you want to build cities?"

“Our city on the island is too small to accommodate more people, so we came out to find a new place to build a city. In the future, many, many people will come from the other side of the sea to settle down, just like Rossburg in the south, which is now equivalent to more than a hundred villages.”

"Ah, Roseburg, we've heard of that place. You friends with the two-headed eagle totem, a noble chief once visited us. He brought a very powerful witch doctor to treat our young people, and even pricked his arm to show that he wouldn't contract the terrible diseases of the whites."

He was actually talking about smallpox vaccination. It was Duke Engian who found work for himself here because he was allied with some tribes. A tribe near Rosburg was almost wiped out by smallpox. At that time, Duke Engian led people to vaccinate the nearby tribes and gave the shamans and witch doctors a lot of benefits. With their cooperation, the vaccination was carried out. Afterwards, there were very few people in the more distant tribes who contracted the disease.

Therefore, inoculation was a way for the tribes to show their friendship and semi-submission to the Russian governor. In fact, the Roseburg colony had a large area under its control. If it weren't for the lack of orders, it wouldn't have been difficult to instigate the surrounding tribes to make California independent.

After all, California is so big, and there are many local Native Americans.

Kisap and Seattle also led their tribesmen to be vaccinated. Even now, the chances of someone using blankets and clothing belonging to smallpox patients to cause damage are very low.

They heard that white people from the west wanted to build a city here, but they weren't actually opposed to it.

Even Seattle, as his nephew, is actually the next Great Chief. Kissap gave him a lot of say, and he also has his own ideas.

The arrival of these white people also brings some benefits; giving them land facilitates trade and provides them with a powerful ally.

Moreover, to be honest, for the indigenous people, encountering the French, Spanish, and Russians meant their villages and territories might still be preserved as friendly tribes, and there was also a certain possibility with the British. But with the arrival of the Americans, they would have no choice but to move into reservations. (End of Chapter)