PREPARATIONS. 91 



take on board Messrs. Chamisso and Wormskloid, 

 both of whom accompany the expedition as na- 

 turalists. 



July 29th. The bad weather having hindered 

 Count RomanzofF from coming on board yester- 

 day; he came to day, accompanied by Captain 

 Krusenstern, and soon after came Admiral Moller, 

 chief commander at Cronstadt, and Admiral 

 Korobka. To these two gentlemen also, I here 

 publicly return my thanks ; for, without their very 

 effective assistance, it would not have been possible 

 for me to equip the Rurick so speedily, and so 

 well. Count Romanzoff was much pleased with 

 the ship, only she appeared to him rather too small, 

 in which he was not quite wrong, as she is only 

 180 tons burden ; however, so small a vessel has 

 the advantage that we may venture very near 

 to the coast, and may thus give a much more 

 accurate survey of it. The internal arrangement 

 is very convenient, as well for the officers, as for 

 the sailors ; for I have given them much room, 

 being convinced that the health of the whole crew 

 greatly depends on it. The Rurick has two masts, 

 and mounts eight guns ; viz. two three-pounders, 

 two eight-pounders, and four twelve-pounders. 

 When Count Romanzoff had very kindly taken leave 

 of us, and left the ship, we saluted him with thir- 

 teen guns, and gave him three cheers. 



