SLIM RATIONS. 
401 
then several weeks in working themselves into the river, 
so often was their progress checked hy shoal water. 
They subsecpiently recovered their guns by means of 
their boats, and were then well fortified in anticipation of 
a visit from the enemy. 
On the whole, he rather seemed to tliink that the 
southern passage was the best; “for,’' said he, “even if 
ships cannot enter the river they may anchor off its 
mouth, and discharge and receive cargo by means of flat- 
bottomed boats without such groat exposure to northeast 
gales. Then they pass down the Gulf of Tartary to the 
Straits of La Perouse, and are soon in the Pacific.” Tlie 
old fellow was evidently trying to set things in the best 
light, doubtless thinking that the war would last for years, 
and that, if we spoke lightly of the diflicultieg of landing 
cargo when we arrived at San Francisco, ships would be 
more likely to bring them stores. And this reception of 
supplies from California was their only hope, he told us, 
as long as the war lasted, as the resources of the country 
around them consisted almost entirely of berries, fish, the 
flesh of several wild animals, and a few roots. Though 
the soil was fine, they had not had time to plant any 
vegetables, he said, though they hoped to have some 
California potatoes in the ground next spring, until 
which time they must be content with roots instead. 
After getting through with the charts and wine, we 
went on deck, and the captain, pointing to a vessel appa- 
rently at anchor under the dimlj’-secn shore of Sagalien, 
asked him if he knew what she was, &c, ; but he had been 
at Petropskie so long, he said, that he could not tell any 
tiling about her. She had arrived since he left the settle- 
