These twelve journals comprise formal reports by Ioann (Ivan) Veniaminov to his diocesan office at Irkustsk, written while he was assigned to the Unalaska and Novo-Arkhangel'sk (Sitka) parishes. The journal entries locate villages, provide insights into village leadership, describe travel routes, conditions, and modes of transportation. They also contain accounts of the Nushagak region Yupiit, as well as a description of Fort Ross and the newly independent Republic of California.

Veniaminov's range of interests was broad and he pursued them with boundless energy. While performing the normal duties of an Orthodox parish priest, he found time for carpentry and raising a family. He not only learned to read and write Aleut, but also compiled a grammar and a dictionary. His interests extended to the protection of threatened species and caring for the natural environment.