318 
AVE REACH KAMTSCIIATKA. 
new set of flesh-and-blood macliines and scut up to 
Puget Sound to engage in warlike deeds with the 
Indians, instead of being broken up for firewood. How 
have those ofiicers and men rendered themselves ob- 
noxious to the “powers that be,” dear John, that they 
should be thus sent to sea in such a miseral)le old craft 
as you are? Are we so plentiful and useless just at 
present that a few from our midst won't be missed? or 
is it that the Government can't afford to break you up 
and build a vessel? But my feelings arc running 
away with me, John ; and so let us return to our passage 
across the Okotsk Sea; which having accomplished in 
eight days, — sharp work for you, John! — we rub our 
eyes one morn ing about three o’clock, and, shading 
them with the right hand from the rays of the rising 
sun, gaze upon a long, low sand-beach, which our 
chronometers tell us is the west coast of Kamtschatka. 
It was on the morning of the 24th of July that we, 
cautiously feeling our way with the lead toward the 
expected shore, discovered the low sand-beach already 
mentioned. Further than that there was nothing to be 
seen, the weather being so hazy as to shut out entirely 
the high land of the interior. Toward noon, however, 
it lighted up, and enabled us to get good observations 
on the beach; after which we hoisted up the boat and 
steered a north-by-west course along the beach, keeping 
it in sight at from one to two miles’ distance, and carry- 
ing beantifully-regular soundings over a fine anchoring- 
bottom of mud and sand. These soundings we made 
at regular intervals of ten minutes, and for hours and 
hours there would not be the fourth of a fathom difler- 
