64 CAPTAIN BLANCHARD. 



the world surpass the citizens of the United 

 States in the boldness, activity, and persever 

 ance of their mercantile speculations. This ob 

 servation was confirmed by an instance we met 

 with here. 



On the 16th of April 1825, a two-masted 

 ship ran into this harbour from Boston. It had 

 performed the voyage by Cape Horn in a hun 

 dred and sixty-six days, without having put into 

 any intermediate port. Captain Blanchard, pro 

 prietor both of the ship, and of the whole cargo, 

 had, upon the strength of a mere report, ex 

 pended his whole capital upon certain articles 

 of which he had heard that New Archangel was 

 in need ; and now, at the close of his immense 

 voyage, found with dismay that not only was 

 the colony well provided for the present, but 

 that a ship was also daily expected from St. Pe- 

 tersburgh laden with every thing it could desire. 

 As, however, his offers were very reasonable, the 

 ship and cargo were subsequently purchased of 

 him for twenty-one thousand skins of sea-cats, 

 (not otters) with the stipulation on his part, 

 that he, his crew, and his skins, should be trans 

 ported to the Sandwich Islands, whence he 



