MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



501 



that the officer with whom I had 

 been conversing was not the 

 commander-in-chief of the for- 

 tress, and therefore could decide 

 nothing on this point. He, how- 

 ever, invited me to go into the 

 castle with him, in order to make 

 the necessary arrangements with 

 the Governor myself. This I 

 declined, on the pretence that I 

 had already spent too much time 

 with him, and that were I to 

 comply with his desire, a suspicion 

 would probably be excited on 

 board of the sloop, which might 

 give rise to hostilities. I offered 

 at the same time to follow him 

 into the fortress, provided that 

 some persons of distinction among 

 them went on board the sloop in 

 my boat, as that would satisfy 

 the officers with respect to my 

 safety. 



The proposal was no sooner 

 made, than one of the Japanese 

 left us, as if for the purpose of 

 obtaining the Governor's consent. 

 The answer was a refusal, accom- 

 panied with an assurance that 

 tiie Governor would immediately 

 come out to us; but soon after a 

 messenger announced that he was 

 gone to dinner and could not yet 

 come. I declined to wait any 

 longer, but promised to bring the 

 ship nearer the shore, and to visit 

 the castle. The LieuienantGo- 

 vernor made no objection to my 

 going, but on parting presented 

 me with a flask of sagi and some 

 fresh fi>h, expressing regret that 

 he had not more of the latter to 

 give. He, however, pointed to a 

 large net which had been thrown, 

 and requested that a boat might 

 be sent on shore before tiie even- 

 ing set in, as the whole draught 

 Bhould be given to us. He ac- 

 cepted from me a burning-glass 



and a bottle of brandy, but would 

 not permit the Kuriles to take 

 any tobacco from us. As a mark 

 of friendship, he pave me a white 

 fan, with which he said we were 

 to beckon when we came on 

 shore, as a signal of our being 

 peaceably disposed. During the 

 interpretation of the Japanese 

 officer's speech, Alexei talked 

 frequently to me of the cross, 

 but in so obscure and unintelli- 

 gible a manner, that I could not 

 comprehend him. It was not 

 until we were again in the 

 boat, and felt ourselves quite free, 

 that he sufficiently collected him- 

 self to explain what he really 

 meant. It was vvell known to the 

 Japanese, he observed, that the 

 Russians entertain the greatest 

 veneration for the cross, and on 

 that account he had wished me 

 to cross myself, and signify that 

 I made that sign in confirmation 

 of our friendly disposition towards 

 them. On hearing this I was 

 exceedingly vexed that I had not 

 been able to understand him 

 before we left the shore. 



Towards evening we stood ia 

 within gun-shot of the castle, and 

 broujiht the sloop to anchor. It 

 was now too late for me to think 

 of entering on any conference, 

 but I ordered midshipman Ja- 

 kuschkin to go ashore with an 

 armed boat, to deliver the letter 

 we hiid brought from the Isle of 

 Eetonroop, and to bring on board 

 the fish which had been promised 

 us. I further directed him to 

 row to the place I had landed at, 

 and not to leave the boat a single 

 moment. He executed my orders 

 with the greatest punctuality, 

 and returned at twilight. The 

 Japanese received him with much 

 kindness, and sent us more than 



a hu* 



