TO KAMTSCHATKA, 1G7 



number of the trees. We observed many women, 

 through the telescopes, who w^re w'alking about, 

 and admiring the ship, at a great distance ; we 

 did not see a single house, but saw a brick-wall, 

 pretty well joined together. All the fresh provi- 

 sions, which we had taken with us from Concep- 

 tion, were consumed, with the exception of a small 

 hog, which we had preserved for a feast ; this we 

 showed to the savages, who seemed to know it, 

 and very much wished to possess it. We, at last, 

 counted thirty-six boats, with three hundred and 

 sixty men, wliose numbers would have encreased, 

 if we had remained any longer, as we already saw 

 several canoes coming up to us. I should have 

 very much liked to undertake a landing, but did 

 not dare to venture, on account of the smallness 

 of our crew, as the number of the savages was so 

 considerable, and their behaviour so forward. 



Towards noon we had a terrible thunder-storm, 

 accompanied with rain and squalls of wind ; the 

 gloomy atmosphere announced a continuance of 

 bad weather, and I resolved to leave the islands ; 

 but the savages, fearless of the thunder, had 

 fastened their boats to the Rurick, forcibly to 

 obtain, by this opportunity, some nails, which they 

 tried to pull out of the ship, making such a noise, 

 that it was impossible to hear the word of com- 

 mand. Not to frighten them with a second shot, 

 I ordered all the sails to be set, and the unex- 

 pectedly quick motion of the ship, by which 



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