MISCELLANIES. 



5S1 



entirely by seamen, who mount 

 guard and perform all the other 

 duties of soldiers. 



" As the winter had made rapid 

 strides, and no alternative re- 

 mained but to discharge the cargo 

 and proceed to sea again, this 

 was done on the 18th of October, 

 much to our satisfaction ; for the 

 prospect of wintering in so deso- 

 late a place was not agreeable. 



" Oohotsk contains about an 

 hundred log edifices, inhabited 

 by twelve hundred souls ; it is 

 situated on a strand of shingles, 

 which having become insulated 

 and untenable, has been abandon- 

 ed for a more suitable spot on the 

 opposite side of the harbour. 

 The Government-house, hospital, 

 barracks, court- iiouse, and some 

 jmagazines, had been removed 

 before our arrival and during our 

 stay. Newport was considerably 

 increased at the expense of Old 

 Town. These log buildings are 

 removed with the facility of tents, 

 yet they are very comfortable 

 inside, and well adapted to the 

 country. 



" The port is very extensive, 

 but for the greater part dry at 

 low water: it lies about latitude 

 59 deg. 20 min. north, and longi- 

 tude about 143 deg. 12 min. east 

 of Greenwich. It is high water 

 on full and change days, at ten 

 hours and a quarter. Spring 

 tides rise eight, ten, to even 

 twelve feet, with a southerly 

 wind in the autumn. The bar is 

 said to have five feet on it at low 

 water spring tides, which I rather 

 doubt. Vessels drawing about 

 twelve feet ought not to visit this 

 port ; though they may make 

 shift to enter it on emergency, as 

 it is the only place in these seas 



where any thing can be done in 

 the way of repairs. The coast is 

 bold and clear of hidden danger ; 

 it may be discovered a great dis- 

 tance off, being mountainous and 

 usually clad in snow, the reflec- 

 tion of which, opposite the sun, 

 is seen a long way ; the soundings 

 also appear to be regular, and a 

 good guide at night, and in thick 

 or rainy weather, which prevails 

 throughout the summer season. 

 The great disadvantage of this 

 coast is, that stretching in an east 

 and west line, without any place 

 of shelter, a vessel caught near it 

 with a southerly gale, and unable 

 to work off, must either ride it 

 out or else be wrecked. Losses 

 by shipwreck do not appear at 

 present to be at all common ; and 

 gales, I believe, are neither fre- 

 quent nor severe. None of the 

 charts or maps of this coast are 

 to be depended on in any degree; 

 but as far as they extend, the 

 surveys of Brought on, Krusen- 

 stern, andGolovin, are very ac- 

 curate. 



" Ochotsk is the channel of 

 communication between Russia 

 and its settlements in Kamts- 

 chatka to America ; the latter are 

 under the exclusive direction of 

 a mercantile company, whose 

 charter has but two years to run. 

 They have of late attacked the 

 Japanese; settled a colony in 

 California, a considerable dis- 

 tance within the Spanish lines ; 

 and also seized on one of the isles 

 of the celebrated Tamahana, whom 

 it was intended to have dispos- 

 sessed of Owyhee, — but failing in 

 effecting this, the next to it, 

 Mowee, was taken. These pro- 

 ceedings of the company, together 

 with the want of honor which has 



marked 



