i2S 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1818. 



occupied by the Bunyo. The 

 former desired one of the inferior 

 officers to present to Capt. Rikord 

 a salver, on which was a box, 

 containing the declaration of the 

 Bunj'o of Matsmai, folded up in 

 silken cloth. The officer, with 

 much ceremony and respect, ad- 

 vanced towards Captain Rikord, 

 who, at the request of the 

 Japanese, read the translation of 

 the document from beginning to 

 end. The next ceremony was 

 the delivery to me of the paper, 

 entitled " a Notification from 

 the two officers next in rank to 

 the Governor of Matsmai.'' It 

 was enclosed in a box, and wrapt 

 in silk, but it was not presented 

 on a salver, nor by the same 

 oflBcer who had handed the other 

 document to Captain Rikord. 

 Though I knew perfectly well 

 the contents of the paper, for the 

 sake of formality, I was requested 

 to read it. The presents sent by 

 the Governor of Lkutzk were 

 then returned to us, and we 

 received a list of the provisions 

 which had been provided for our 

 voyage. Tiie Japanese having 

 wished us a happy voyage to 

 Russia, took leave of us, and 

 withdrew. 



When every thing was in rea- 

 diness for our departure, we were 

 conducted to the Bunyo's barge, 

 on board of which we embarked, 

 accompanied by Tachatay-Kachi; 

 our clotlies, provisions, and the 

 presents being placed in separate 

 boats. On our way from the 

 custom-house to the boats all the 

 Japanese, not only those wit^i 

 whom we were acquainted, but 

 the strangers who were looking 

 on, bade us adieu, and wished us 

 a safe voyage. 



The officers and seamen on 

 board the Diana received us with 

 a degree of joy, or rather enthu- 

 siasm, which can only be felt by 

 brothers or intimate friends after 

 a long absence, and a series of 

 similar adventures. With regard 

 to ourselves, I can only say, that, 

 —after an imprisonment of two 

 years, two months, and twenty- 

 six days, on finding ourselves 

 again in an imperial Russian ship, 

 surrounded by our countrymen, 

 with whom we had, for five or 

 six years, served in remote, dan- 

 gerous, and laborious voyages — 

 we felt what men are capable 

 of feeling, but which cannot be 

 described. 



The Reports of Messrs. C. A. 

 Rodney and John Graham, 

 Commissioners sent by the United 

 States Government to inquire 

 into the State of the Republic of 

 Rio de la Plata. 



Mr. Rodney fo the Secretary of 

 State. 



Sir ; — I have now the honour 

 to submit to your consideration, 

 my report on the subject of the 

 late mission to South America, 

 embracing the information de- 

 rived from the various sources 

 within my power, so far as I had 

 an opportunity of improving the 

 advantages possessed. 



Witii the history of the con- 

 quest of the Spanish possessions 

 in America, you must be familiar. 

 Thejr were principally, if not 

 exclusively, achieved by private 

 adventurers. When completed, 

 a most oppressive system of go- 

 vernment. 



