THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 303 



fervc, that, in the Ruffian army, the inferior clafs of officers „ ! 779- 



September. 



enjoy a degree of pre-eminence above the private men, with *— — » \ 



which we, in our fervice, are in a great meafure unac- 

 quainted. It v as no fmall aftonifhment to us, to fee a Ser- 

 jeant keep up all the ftate, and exact all the refpecl, from all 

 beneath him, belonging to a field officer. It may be farther 

 remarked, that there are many more gradations of rank 

 amongft them, than are to be met with in other countries. 

 Between a lerjeant and a private man, there are not lefs 

 than four intermediate fteps ; and I have no doubt, but that 

 the advantages arifing from this fyftem are found to be very 

 confiderable. The falutary effects of little fubordinate ranks 

 in our fea-fervice, cannot be queftioned. It gives rife to 

 great emulation, and the fuperior officers are enabled to 

 beftow, on almofl every poffible degree of merit, a reward 

 proportioned to it. 



Having been incidentally led into this fubject, I mail beg; 

 leave to add but one obfcrvation more, namely, that the dis- 

 cipline of the Ruffian army, though at this diflance from 

 the feat of government, is of the ftricteft and fevered kind ; 

 from which even the commiffioned officers are not exempt. 

 The punifliment of the latter for fmall offences is imprifon- 

 ment, and a bread and water diet. An Enfign, a good friend 

 of ours at this place, told us, that for having been con- 

 cerned in a drunken riot, he was confined in the black 

 hole for three months, and fed upon bread and water » 

 which, he faid, fo mattered his nerves, that he had never 

 fince had fpirits for a common convivial meeting. 



I accompanied Captain Shmalcffto the entrance of Awat- 

 fka River, and, having bid him farewel, took this opportu- 

 nity of paying a vifit to the Pricfl of Paratounca. On Sunday 



the 



