ARRIVAL AT PETROPAVLOVSK 187 



misery and sorrow that, instead of looking forward anew, we 

 only thought of continuing the old life and regarded the present 

 circumstances as in a dream. 



The next day, after we had heartily thanked Almighty God in 

 a common prayer for'*" our wonderful preservation and safe 

 return to Asia,^^^ the naval officers decided still to proceed to 

 Okhotsk this autumn. I, however, took leave of them and made 

 myself ready to travel the 30 miles to Bolsheretsk Post"^ on 

 foot, in order to get to my own people,^^* arriving there safely on 

 September 5 and joining in the celebration of the august name 

 day*^^ of our most gracious monarchess. A few weeks later we 

 received in Bolsheretsk the news that the ship, after starting for 

 Okhotsk, had, because of contrary and heavy winds, put back 

 to the harbor. ^66 Meanwhile, the news of our return when re- 

 ceived at Bolsheretsk was not forwarded, owing to the negligence 

 of the commander, through the galiot Okhotsk, then just ready to 

 sail,^" although she did not leave until three days after the 

 receipt of the news.^^^ In this way we were consequently re- 

 garded at headquarters as dead for eight months longer.''^^ 



«i The MS here has in addition: "His gracious protection." 



«2 The MS here has in addition: "and our respective native lands." 



463 The MS has "to the Bolshaya River," on which Hes Bolsheretsk 

 Post, on the other side from Avacha Bay of the here narrow Kamchatka 

 peninsula (see Vol. i, PI. I and Fig. 3). 



464 The MS has: "to my own long longed-for people." 



■iss Elizabeth, the youngest daughter of Peter the Great, who had 

 become Empress in December, 1741. The name day of St. Elizabeth, 

 her patron saint, falls on September 5 in the Greek church calendar. 



466 The MS adds: "in order to winter." On the return of the vessel to 

 Avacha Bay and the Harbor of St. Peter and St. Paul, see also the log 

 book, under dates of September 3-6 (Vol. i, pp. 264-268). 



«7 "then just ready to sail" does not occur in the MS. 



«8 In the MS the last clause reads: "although she did not leave the 

 estuary [of the Bolshaya River] until three days after receipt of the news 

 at the port." 



«9 In the MS the last sentence reads: "Through these two circum- 

 stances we had to endure being counted among the dead eight months 

 longer than would have been necessary." 



