VI TRANSLATOR .S PREFACE. 



Krusenstern, and to have been recommended 

 by him to Count Romanzoff, as eminently quah- 

 fied for the command of such an undertaking. 

 Extracts from many of the letters that Lieu- 

 tenant Kotzebue wrote to his father, during 

 his voyage, were published in Germany, and 

 even in England ; which not only made the 

 public familiar with the expedition and its 

 objects, but also excited expectations in its 

 favour, which the translator ventures to affirm 

 will be fully satisfied by a perusal of these 

 volumes. 



A few words respecting the translation it- 

 self may, perhaps, be required. 



The first object of the translator has been 

 fidelity to his original : he has not sought to 

 embellish, by superadded ornaments of style 

 and colouring, the unaffected language of a 

 plain, though well educated and accomplished 

 seaman ; he has merely endeavoured to put 

 it into such natural and manly language as it 

 would become an English naval officer to 

 write, and as an intelligent reader may 

 peruse with satisfaction. 



The scientific parts of a work of this kind 

 being of so great importance to geography 

 and navigation, for the benefit of which 

 sciences such expeditions are expressly un- 



