THE SANDWICH ISLANDS 241 



at Oonalashka. He was the principal personage 

 among the surroundings islands. Ismyloff 

 showed Cook two maps in manuscript, which 

 included the Kurile Islands, the peninsula of 

 Kamchatka, and all the discoveries made by the 

 Russians to the east of Kamchatka. 



These Russians were the first Europeans that 

 the Englishmen had seen for two years. They 

 therefore prepared a banquet for them, and, 

 since all conversation was impossible owing to 

 mutual ignorance of their respective languages, 

 English and Russians became exceedingly 

 friendly and drank many glasses of wine and 

 rum to one another's healths. 



When Ismylofif took leave of the English 

 travellers, on October 21st, Cook entrusted him 

 with a letter to the Lords of the British Admi- 

 ralty. He enclosed with the letter a map of all 

 the northern shores which he had visited. Ismy- 

 loff hoped to find, in the spring, a chance of 

 sending the despatch to Kamchatka or Okhotsk. 

 The letter finally reached St. Petersburg, and 

 from thence England. The Russian kept his 

 promise, and Cook's precious news reached its 

 destination without hindrance. 



On November 26th Cook discovered land 

 which he soon recognized as forming part of the 

 Sandwich Islands, where he intended to pass the 



