TO RADACK. 85 



and Suwarof*s islands lay in nearly the same 

 longitude as Otdia ; the latitude was only 1 J° dif- 

 ferent, and I mside no doubt that they were among 

 the groups marked in the north. 



On the 3d, at six o'clock in the morning, I dis- 

 patched Lieutenant Schischmareff in the long-boat 

 to examine the second passage : he came back in 

 the evening, with the news that the channel was 

 very safe, and at the narrowest part 150 fathoms 

 broad ; he had found the middle to be unfathom- 

 able, and near the reef 11 fathoms deep. Highly 

 pleased at this information, I ordered the Rurick 

 to be ready to sail in a few days from Otdia. A 

 very disagreeable circumstance occurred to-day at 

 dinner : Lagediack was our guest at table ; his 

 companion (he who stole the pail) was refused 

 admittance into the cabin, and he was obliged to sit 

 on the quarter-deck at the window, and content 

 himself with looking on. Full of compassion, 

 Lagediack reached him several pieces ; but the 

 bright knives pleased him more than all the food ; 

 he begged to have one to look at, and hid it in his 

 girdle. As we purposely pretended not to observe 

 it, in the hope that he would return it, 1 remained, 

 silent j but when Lagediack was going onshore, 

 and the thief about to leap into the canoe, I gave 

 the signal agreed upon ; four sailors seized him, 

 and after having taken away the knife, they laid 

 him down and severely punished him. Lagediack, 

 greatly astonished, entreated for his friend, re- 



G 3 



