A PRISONER IN RUSSIAN HANDS 185 
On one of the mounds stands a large roughly-made 
iron cross with a Russian inscription. On the others 
there are two—a wooden one with a metal plate on 
which is cut, ‘ To the memory of the officers, seamen, 
and marines, who fell at Petropaulsky, August, 
1854;’ and an ornamental iron one with the follow¬ 
ing : 6 A la memoire des marines Frangais tues au 
combat de Petropaulsky, le 24 Aout, 1854.’ 
“ ‘ Unis pour la victoire, 
Reunis par la mort, 
Du soldat c’est la gloire, 
Des braves c’est le sort.’ 
“ There is also a white marble slab to the memory 
of the French officers and marines who fell on 
September 11, 1854. In a hollow in the ridge of 
bluffs on the west side of the harbour a large wooden 
cross is erected to the memory of La Perouse, who 
was, I believe, last heard of from this place. 55 
On August 23 I went on board the s.s. Vladivos - 
toclc , and arranged for a passage down. We sailed 
on the morning of the 25 th, and when some ten 
miles or so outside Avatcha Bay sighted a schooner 
almost becalmed. The captain of the steamer 
came to me, and said : “ Your people on board the 
schooner are very foolish for coming here.” I 
replied, “ It may not be my vesselbut a closer 
approach dispelled all doubt. 
I thought for a few minutes the captain did not 
intend to stop, and as we steamed by S. shouted : 
“ Clear out, you — — fools !” The shipkeeper, 
who was on deck, raised his hand in response, and 
commenced to haul in his sheets and change his 
course. However, it was too late ; the steamer ran 
by and rounded to under the Otome's stern, sent on 
