64 CAPTAIN BLANCHARD. 



the world surpass the citizens of the United 

 States in the boldness, activity, and persever- 

 ance of their mercantile speculations. This ob- 

 servation was confirmed by an instance we met 

 with here. 



On the I6th of April 1825, a two- masted 

 ship ran into this harbour from Boston. It had 

 performed the voyage by Cape Horn in a hun- 

 dred and sixty-six days, without having put into 

 any intermediate port. Captain Blanchard, pro- 

 prietor both of the ship, and of the whole cargo, 

 had, upon the strength of a mere report, ex- 

 pended his whole capital upon certain articles 

 of which he had heard that New Archangel was 

 in need ; and now, at the close of his immense 

 voyage, found with dismay that not only was 

 the colony well provided for the present, but 

 that a ship was also daily expected from St. Pe- 

 tersburgh laden with every thing it could desire. 

 As, however, his offers were very reasonable, the 

 ship and cargo were subsequently purchased of 

 him for twenty-one thousand skins of sea-cats, 

 (not otters) with the stipulation on his part, 

 that he, his crew, and his skins, should be trans- 

 ported to the Sandwich Islands, whence lie 



