THIRD VOYAGE 415 



moored. Next morning the carpenters were set to work to 

 stop the leak, which had given us so much trouble during 

 our last run. Several of our gentlemen paid their visits to 

 the sergeant, by whom they were received with great 

 civility ; and Captain Glerke sent him two bottles of rum, 

 which he understood would be the most acceptable present 

 he could make him, and received in return some fine fowls 

 of the grouse kind, and twenty trouts. 



" The following morning, on our observing two sledges 

 drive into the village, Captain Clerke sent me on shore, 

 to inquire whether any message was arrived from the com- 

 mander of Kamtschatka, which, according to the sergeant's 

 account, might now be expected, in consequence of the 

 intelligence that had been sent of our arrival. Bolcheretsk, 

 by the usual route, is about 135 English miles from St. Peter 

 and St. Paul's. Our despatches were sent off in a sledge 

 drawn by dogs, on the 29th, about noon. And the answer 

 arrived, as we afterwards found, early this morning ; so that 

 they were only a little more than three days and a half in 

 performing a journey of 270 miles. 



" The return of the commander's answer was, however, 

 concealed from us for the present ; and I w r as told on my 

 arrival at the sergeant's, that we should hear from him the 

 next day. 



" About ten o'clock next forenoon, we saw several sledges 

 driving down to the edge of the ice, and sent a boat to 

 conduct the persons who were in them on board. One 

 of these was a Russian merchant from Bolcheretsk, named 

 Fedositsch, and the other a German, called Port, who had 

 brought a letter from Major Behm, the commander of 

 Kamtschatka, to Captain Clerke. When they got to the 

 edge of the ice, and saw distinctly the size of the ships, 

 which lay within about 200 yards from them, they appeared 

 to be exceedingly alarmed ; and before they would venture 

 to embark, desired two of our boat's crew might be left 

 on shore as hostages for their safety. We afterwards found 

 that Ismyloff, in his letter to the commander, had misrepre- 

 sented us, for what reason we could not conceive, as two 

 small trading boats ; and that the sergeant, who had only 

 seen the ships at a distance, had not in his despatches 

 rectified the mistake. 



" When they arrived on board, we still found, from their 

 cautious and timorous behaviour, that they were under some 

 unaccountable apprehensions ; and an uncommon degree of 

 satisfaction was visible in their countenances on the 

 German's finding a person amongst us with whom he could 

 converse. This was Mr. Webber, who spoke that language 

 exceedingly well. Mr. Port being introduced to Captain 



