Bockstoce (affiliation not cited) recounts the beginnings of the maritime fur trade at Bering Strait in the early nineteenth century. Drawing upon primary source documents, he describes the 1819 voyage of the General San Mart'̕n and the 1820 voyages of the Pedler and the Blagonamerennyi . In the final chapter he explains how isolationist policies ordered by the Russian Tsar in 1820 adversely affected trade in the region for years afterwards. Annotation 2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
