ere gifts of the
Company and of distinguished persons in St. Petersburg, for the
establishing of a library, and the Directory sent them out. On these
works he commented with the following remarkable view: 'Better that our
directors had sent us a doctor, for in all the Company's colonies there
is not one doctor, nor one doctor's assistant, nor one doctor's pupil.'"

Golofnin soon left Sitka to return to St. Petersburg. His successful
voyage, together with that of the "Neva" and the "Nadeshda," encouraged
the shipment of goods by sea from Russia, and from that time onward
ships came regularly, laden with supplies of every kind for the post,
and returned with rich cargoes of peltry.

By 1825 surgical and astronomical instruments of the best quality were
sent to the colony, an apothecary shop of three rooms provided
medicines, and four Creole boys, under the charge of a doctor, attended
to the dispensing of the potions. A hospital was in connection and the
sick received fresh food, tea, sugar, and medicines, free, upon the
order of the doctor.

An observatory, equipped with the most improved magnetic and
meteorological instruments was later provided and there was kept a
record of natural phenomena, while a museum of objects of interest from
the surrounding country was open for the instruction of all.

The library was brought from St. Petersburg in 1806 by Resanof. Mr.
Khlebnikof tells us that it contained more than 1,200 volumes, valued at
7,500 rubles, and they were in the Russian, French, German, English,
Latin and other languages.

When Mr. Resanof was preparing for his journey he addressed letters to
many of the leading men of St. Petersburg, soliciting their contribution
of books to promote the beginning of education in the far off possession
of the Czar. Many sent a response in writing accompanied by one or more
volumes, and the letters so sent were richly bound in a separate volume
and placed with the library in the building at Sitka. Among the patrons
were the Metropolite Ambrosia, Count Rumiantzof, Count Stroganof,
Admiral Chichagof, Minister of Justice Dimitrief, Senator Zakarof and
others. The sentiments were varied, but many agreed in voicing the
desire to "sow the seed of science in the breasts of the peoples so far
outlying from the enlightenment of Europe." Some of them reflected the
personal character of the donors: The Metropolite Ambrosia sent books
for church services; the Minister of Marine sent pla