335 First Russian Embassy to Japan. 



that the presents might he sent by Japanese messengers? 

 which was accordingly done. 



Next day they were waited upon by two Japanese, who 

 offered to assist the Russian interpreters in translating the" 

 Russian letter which had bee.i returned, and the paper de- 5 - 

 livered to M. Lax man by the deputies. But when the trans- 

 lation of the Russian letter was ready the deputies refused 

 to receive it, because it was not addressed to them by name 5 

 M.Laxman represented, that it was impossible their names 

 could be known in Russia, but his remonstrances produced 

 no effect; and after much trouble he obtained permission to 

 have the letter read by an interpreter* The answer he re- 

 ceived was, that strangers could be received only at Nan- 

 gasaki. That the Russians, however, might in future have 

 free access to that harbour and town, they wrote a permis- 

 sion on an imperial blank order, which they had by them, 

 and transmitted it to M. Laxman. M. Laxman then en- 

 deavoured to obtain leave to exchange some articles of mer- 

 chandise, which two Russian merchants onboard the vessel 

 had brought with them ; but this was refused. 



On the 23d of July M. Laxman had an audience of 

 leave, during which he delivered the Japanese he had 

 brought with him, and received a receipt. 



On the 25th he was conducted back with the same cere- 

 mony to Chakodasche, and on the road the domestics who 

 accompanied the suite, requested the Russian interpreters 

 to give them privately, and without the knowledge of M. 

 Laxman, a copy of the letter which the deputies at Matmai 

 had refused to receive : this request was; readily complied 

 Vith. 



On the 11th of August the Russians hove up their an- 

 chor, and sailed from the road of Chakodasche as far as the 

 tust Kurile Isle; being accompanied at some distance by 

 two Japanese vessels, who were, no doubt, ordered to ob- 

 serve whether they attempted to land at any place in the 

 neighbourhood. 



On the 19th they discovered the summit of the 19th Ku- 

 rile Island, and entered the strait between the 18th and 

 19th, in which, however, they made little progress, in con- 

 sequence of the weakness of the wind. 



On the 3d of September they were opposite to Mori- 

 kon, a ridge of rocks half covered by water, which extend 

 about fifteen versts from Ochotzk, in a north-cast direction. 



On the 8th they arrived in the road of Ochotzk, and on 

 the 9th entered the harbour, after a voyage of 28 days from 

 Matmai. 



4 M. Lax- 



