190 COOK S VOYAGE TO .MAY, 



from the severity of the weather, and the snow which 

 still remained on the ground. 



At day-light on the 12th, we found we had got 

 clear of the mountains, and were entering a low ex- 

 tensive plain, covered with shrubby trees. About 

 nine in the forenoon, we arrived at an ostrog, called 

 Opatchin, which is computed to be fifty miles from 

 Natcheekin, and is nearly of the same size as Karat- 

 chin. We found here a serjeant with four Russian 

 soldiers, who had been two days waiting for our 

 arrival ; and who immediately dispatched a light 

 boat to Bolcheretsk, with intelligence of our approach. 

 We were now put into the trammels of formality ; a 

 canoe, furnished with skins and furs, and equipped in 

 a magnificent manner, was prepared for our reception, 

 in which we were accommodated much at our ease, 

 but to the exclusion of the rest of our fellow-tra- 

 vellers. It was with much regret we found ourselves 

 obliged to separate from our old companion Monsieur 

 Port, whom we had observed to grow every day more 

 shy and distant, as we drew nearer the end of our 

 journey. Indeed, he had himself told us, before we 

 set out, that we paid him a respect he had no title 

 to j but as we found him a very modest and discreet 

 man, we had insisted on his living with us during 

 the whole of our journey. The remainder of our 

 passage was performed with great facility and expe- 

 dition, the river growing more rapid as we descended, 

 and less obstructed by shoals. 



As we approached the capital, we were sorry to 

 observe, from an appearance of much stir and bustle, 

 that we were to be received in form. Decent clothes 

 had been, for some time, a scarce commodity amongst 

 us ; and our travelling dresses were made up of a 

 burlesque mixture of European, Indian, and Kamts- 

 chatdale fashions. We therefore thought it would 

 be too ridiculous to make a parade in this trim 

 through the metropolis of Kamtschatka ; and as we 

 saw a crowd collected on the banks of the river, and 



