1779. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 191 



were told the commander would be at the water-side 

 to receive us, we stopped short at a soldier's house, 

 about a quarter of a mile from the town, from whence 

 we sent Port with a message to his Excellency, ac- 

 quainting him, that the moment we had put off our 

 travelling dresses, we would pay our respects to him 

 at his own house ; and to beg he would not think of 

 waiting to conduct us. Finding, however, that he 

 persisted in his intentions of paying us this compli- 

 ment, we lost no farther time in attiring ourselves, 

 but made all the haste in our power to join him at 

 the entrance of the town. I observed my compa- 

 nions to be as awkward as I felt myself, in making 

 our first salutations ; bowing and scraping being 

 marks of good-breeding that we had now, for two 

 years and a half, been totally unaccustomed to. 

 The manner in which we were received by the com- 

 mander, was the most engaging that could be con- 

 ceived, and increased my mortification, at finding, 

 that he had almost entirely forgot the French lan- 

 guage ; so that the satisfaction of conversing with 

 him was wholly confined to Mr. Webber, who spoke 

 the German, his native tongue. 



In company with Major Behm, was Captain 

 Shmaleffj the second in command, and another officer 

 with the whole body of the merchants of the place. 

 They conducted us to the commander's house, 

 where we were received by his lady with great civility, 

 and found tea and other refreshments prepared for 

 us. After the first compliments were over, Mr. 

 Webber was desired to acquaint the Major with the 

 object of our journey, with our want of naval stores, 

 flour, and fresh provisions, and other necessaries for 

 the ships' crews ; and at the same time to assure him, 

 that we were sensible, from what we had already seen 

 of the condition of the country about Awatska Bay, 

 we could not expect much assistance from him in 

 that quarter ; that the impossibility of sending heavy 

 stores across the peninsula, during the present season 



