The Nineteenth Century 81 



This is the earliest and shortest report of this crossing; two others follow in order of publication; 

 all three are by first hand participants. 



The equator was crossed at 10 in the morning [November 26, 1803, new style]. 

 After having made sure of it, I immediately ordered the pennant and jack- 

 stafiE flags to be raised on my ship, and congratulated my associate [the 

 captain of the sister ship Nadezhda] upon his safe arrival into the Southern 

 Hemisphere. At that time my seamen were placed at the shrouds and shouted 

 "Hurrah" several times. The same was done by the crew of the ship Nadezhda. 



Yesterday's ceremony was only the introduction to the celebration today. 

 In the morning, after die parade the church service included a divine mass 

 and prayers of thanksgiving. Then the entire ship's personnel assembled on 

 the quarter-deck. I congratulated them on the safe crossing into the Southern 

 hemisphere, and drank with all of them a toast to His Imperial Majesty, 

 caUing three times: "Long hve Emperor Alexander II" 



Since no other Russian ship except Neva and Nadezhda had crossed the 

 Equator, I wanted to mark this unusual event. I issued instructions to have 

 two ducks roasted for each squad ( "artel" ) , make a pudding, cook fresh soup 

 witli potatoes, pumpkin and other vegetables, which we secured at Teneriffe. 

 To all that was added a bottle of port for every three men. We sat down at the 

 table at 3 p. m., and at the end drank a toast again to our emperor. At that 

 time we raised the flag and fired salutes from aU the guns. In the evening 

 the whole crew expressed their pleasure in singing, while we passed the time 

 in pleasant conversation and reminiscences about our relatives and friends. 



(Puteshestviye vokrug sveta v 1803-4-5 i 1806 godakh na korable NEVE, 

 pod nachalstycm Yuriya Lisyanskovo. Sanktpeterburg, 1812. v. i, p. 37- 

 38.) Voyage around the world in 1803-4-5 and 1806 ... on the Neva 

 under the command of Yuril Lisyanski. 



The translation was made by Dr. Avrahm Yarmolinsky. 



November 26, 1803 [new style] at 10 a. m., we had the good fortune to cross 

 the fine into the Southern hemisphere in clear weather at a speed of four knots. 



This happy moment when Russians for the first time followed in the 

 footsteps of Üie great seafaring nations, was the cause of triumph for aU of 

 us. Now we too have crossed the equator. Now, the Russians too, at long 

 last have arrived in the other hemisphere, everyone exclaimed. A new epoch 

 for Russian glory! With deep joy plainly showing in everyone's face we 

 fehcitated each other. We were grateful to our emperor who had granted us 

 the means to achieve such glory, a glory which, as time goes on will achieve 

 immortality for Alexander I. For it is he who has made it possible for his 

 subjects to sail the farthest waters of the ocean. 



The Neva, sailing ahead of us, reverses its coinse and coming alongside of 

 Nadezhda ( oin: ship ) congratulates us on crossing the line. The Neva sailors, 

 standing at the sailyards and shrouds, shout "hurrah" thrice. Our sailors, 

 joining them, also shout "Long live Alexander!" Aheady this name, so dear 



