1^4} FROM ST. Catherine's to 



very closely, and even heard him breathe. It is 

 probably very seldom that they venture so near, 

 that their wonderful magnitude can be contemp- 

 lated at leisure. 



As we had now a pilot, we weighed anchor, and 

 arrived in a couple of hours at the anchoring-place 

 of Talcaguano, about a quarter of a mile from 

 shore, in four fathoms and a half water, on a clayey 

 bottom. We had scarcely cast anchor, when the 

 commander of the place, Don Miguel de Rivas, 

 lieutenant-colonel of the Spanish infantry, and 

 his aide-de-camp, came on board ^ and, after the 

 first salutation, asked to what nation we belonged ? 

 (the Russian imperial flag being quite unknown 

 here.) When he learnt that we were Russians, his 

 surprise was evident, but he was soon very friendly, 

 and said, " As long as the world has stood, no Rus- 

 sian vessel ever showed its flag in this harbour : 

 you are the first ! We rejoice in saluting a na- 

 tion which has sacrificed itself, and, under the 

 Great Alexander, has conquered for the liberties 

 of Europe !" After I had shown him a written 

 recommendation from the Spanish minister, at 

 London, to make him acquainted with the object 

 of our voyage, he immediately offered his services 

 to assist us in every thing, and requested me to 

 acquaint him with my wants. He likewise pro- 

 mised instantly to dispatch a courier to the town 

 of Conception, which is only two leagues distant 

 from Talcaguano, to inform the Governor of my 



