276 JOHN LEDYARD. 







emergency. But, as there was no alternative, I sub- 

 mitted thus to be stowed away in bulk, and went, 

 head foremost, very swift through the water about 

 an hour, when I felt the canoe strike a beach, and 

 afterward lifted up and carried some distance and 

 then set down again ; after which I was drawn out 

 by the shoulders by three or four men, for it was 

 now so dark that I could not tell who they were, 

 though I was conscious I heard a language that was 

 new. I was conducted by two of these persons, 

 who appeared to be strangers, about forty rods, 

 when I saw lights and a number of huts like those 

 I left in the morning. As we approached one of 

 them, a door opened and discovered a lamp, by 

 which, to my joy and surprise, I discovered that the 

 two men who held me by each arm were Europeans, 

 fair and comely, and concluded from their appear- 

 ance they were Russians, which I soon after found 

 to be true. As we entered the hut, which was par- 

 ticularly long, I saw arranged on each side, on a 

 platform of plank, a number of Indians, who all 

 bowed to me ; and as I advanced to the farther end 

 of the hut there were other Russians. When I 

 reached the end of the room I was seated on a 

 bench covered with fur-skins; and, as I was much 

 fatigued, wet, and cold, I had a change of garments 

 brought me, consisting of a blue silk shirt and 



