rezanov-第8节
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his attention to abolish all the companies and close the colonies to traders big and little。
But the enemy had a very subtle antagonist in Rezanov。 Apparently dismissing the subject； he ap… plied himself to gaining a personal ascendancy over the erratic but impressionable Tsar。 No one in the opposing camp could compare with him in that fine balance of charm and brain which was his peculiar gift； or in the adroit manipulation of a mind pro… pelled mainly by vanity。 He studied Paul's moods and character； discovered that after some senseless act of oppression he suffered from a corresponding remorse； and was susceptible to any plan that would increase his power and add lustre to his name。 The commercial and historic advantages of prosperous northeastern possessions were artfully instilled。 At the opportune moment Rezanov laid before him a scheme； mature in every detail； for a great com… pany that would add to the wealth of Russia； and convince Europe of the sound commercial sense and immortal wisdom of its sovereign。 Without more ado he obtained his charter。
This momentous instrument granted to the 〃Rus… sian…American Company under our Highest Protec… tion；〃 〃full privileges； for a period of twenty years on the coast of northwestern America； beginning from latitude 55 degrees north； and including the chain of islands extending from Kamchatka north… ward； and southward to Japan； the exclusive right to all enterprises； whether hunting； trading； or build… ing； and to new discoveries； with strict prohibition from profiting from any of these pursuits； not only to all parties who might engage in them on their own responsibility； but also to those who formerly had ships and establishments there； except those who have united with the new Company。〃 All private traders who refused to join the Company were to be allowed to sell their property and depart in peace。
Thus was formed the first of the Trusts in America； and the United States never has had so formidable a menace to her territorial greatness as this Russian nobleman who paced that night the wretched deck of the little ship he had bought from one of her skippers。 Perturbed in mind at his re… cent failures and immediate prospects； he was no less determined to take California from the Span… iards either by absorption or force。
On his way from New Archangel to San Fran… cisco he had met with his second failure since leav… ing St。 Petersburg。 It was his intention to move the Sitkan colony down to the mouth of the Colum… bia River； not only pressed by the need of a more beneficent soil； but as a first insidious advance upon San Francisco Bay。 Upon this trip it would be enough to make a survey of the ground and bury a copper plate inscribed： 〃Possession of the Rus… sian Empire。〃 The Juno had encountered terrific storms。 After three desperate attempts to reach the mouth of the river； Rezanov had been forced to relinquish the enterprise for the moment and hasten with his diseased and almost useless crew to the nearest port。 It was true that the attempt could be made again later； but Rezanov； sanguine of tem… perament； was correspondingly depressed by failure and disposed to regard it as an ill…omen。
An ambassador inspired by heaven could have accomplished no more with the Japanese at that mediaeval stage of their development than he had done； and the most indomitable of men cannot yet control the winds of heaven； but sovereigns are rarely governed by logic； and frequently by the fav… orite at hand。 The privilege of writing personally to the Tsar； in his case； meant more and less than appeared on the surface。 It was a measure to keep the reports of the Company out of the hands of the Admiralty College； its bitterest enemy； and always jealous of the Civil Service。 Nevertheless； Rezanov knew that he had no immediate reason to apprehend the loss of Alexander's friendship and esteem； and if he placed the Company； in which all the imperial family had bought shares； on a sounder basis than ever before； and doubled its earnings by insuring the health of its employees； he would meet； when in St。 Petersburg again； with practically no opposition to his highest ambitions。 These ambitions he delib… erately kept in a fluid state for the present。 Whether he should aspire to great authority in the government； or choose to rule with the absolute powers of the Tsar himself these already vast pos… sessions on the Pacificto be extended indefinitely would be decided by events。 All his inherited and cultivated instincts yearned for the brilliant and complex civilizations of Europe； but the new world had taken a firm hold upon his humaner and appealed more insidiously to his despotic。 More… over； Europe； torn up by that human earthquake； Napoleon Bonaparte； must lose the greater half of its sweetness and savor。 All that； however； could be determined upon his return to St。 Petersburg in the autumn。
But meanwhile he must succeed with these Cali… fornians； or they might prove； toy soldiers as they were； more perilous to his fortunes than enemies at court。 He could not afford another failure； and news of this attempt and an exposition of all that depended upon it were already on the road to the capital of Russia。
He had known； of course； of the law that forbade the Spanish colonies to trade with foreign ships； but he had relied partly upon the use he could make of the orders given by the Spanish King at the request of the Tsar regarding the expedition under Krusenstern； partly upon his own wit and address。 But although the royal order had insured him imme… diate hospitality and saved him many wearisome formalities； he had already discovered that the Spanish on the far rim of their empire had lost nothing of their connate suspicion。 Rather； their isolation made them the more wary。 Although they little appreciated the richness and variousness of California's soil； and not at all this wonderful bay that would accommodate the combined navies of the world； pocketing several； the pious zeal of the clergy in behalf of the Indians； and the general policy of Spain to hold all of the western hemisphere that disintegrating forces would permit； made her as tenacious of this vast territory she had so sparsely populated as had she been aware that its founda… tions were of gold； conceived that its climate and soil were a more enduring source of wealth than ever she would command again。 If Rezanov was not gifted with the prospector's sense for ores although he had taken note of Arguello's casual ref… erence to a vein of silver and lead in the Monterey hillsno man ever more thoroughly appreciated the visible resources of California than he。 Baranhov； chief…manager of the Company； had talked with American and British skippers for twenty years； and every item he had accumulated Rezanov had extracted。 To…day he had drawn further informa… tion from Concha and her brothers； and their art… less descriptions as well as this incomparable bay had filled him with enthusiasm。 What a gift to Russia！ What an achievement to his immortal credit！ The fog rolled in from the Pacific in great white waves and stealthily enfolded him； obliterated the sea and the land。 But he did not see it。 Appre… hension left him。 Once more he fell to dreaming。 In the course of a few years the Company would attract a large population to the mouth of the Columbia River； be strong enough to make use of any favorable turn in European politics and sweep down upon California。 The geographical position of Mexico； the arid and desolate； herbless and waterless wastes intervening； would prohibit her sending any considerable assistance overland； and； all powerful at court by that time； he would take care that the Russian navy inspired Spain with a distaste for remote Pacific waters。 He had long since recovered from the disappointment induced by the orders compelling him to remain in the col… onies。 The great Company he had heretofore re… garded merely as a source of income and a means of advancing his ambitions； he now loved as his child。 Even during the marches over frozen swamps and mountains； during the terrible winter in Sitka when he had become familiar with illness and even with hunger； his ardor had grown； as well as his deter… mination to force Russia into the front rank of Commercial Europe。 The United States he barely considered。 He respected the new country for the independent spirit and military genius that had routed so powerful a nation as Great Britain； but he thought of her only as a new and tentative civilization on the far shores of the Atlantic。 After some experience of travel in Siberia； and knowing the immensity and primeval conditions of north… western America； he did not think it probable that the little cluster of states； barely able to walk alone； would indulge in dreams of expansion for many years to come。 He had heard of the projected ex… pedition of Lewis and Clarke to the mouth of the Columbia； butperhaps he was too Russianhe did not take any adventure seriously that had not a mighty nation at its back。 And as it was almost the half of a century from that night before the American flag flew over the Custom House of Mon… terey； there is reason to believe that Russian aggres… sion under the leadership of
