A VOYAGE TO 
■ ? 79 ; 
September. 
Sunday 26. 
from all beneath him, belonging to a field officer. It may¬ 
be farther remarked, that there are many more gradations 
of rank amongft them, than are to be met with in other 
countries. Between a ferjeant and a private man, there 
are not lefs than four intermediate deps ; and I have no 
doubt, but that the advantages arifing from this fyflem are 
found to be very confiderable. The falutary effects of little 
fubordinate ranks in our fea-fervice, cannot be queftioned. 
It gives rife to great emulation, and the fuperior officers 
are enabled to bedow, on almoft every pofhble degree of 
merit, a reward proportioned to it. 
Having been incidentally led into this fubjeft, I fliall 
beg leave to add but one obfervation more, namely, that 
the difcipline of the Ruffian army, though at this didance 
from the feat of government, is of the drifted and fe¬ 
vered kind; from which even the commiffioned officers 
are not exempt. The punifhment of the latter for fmall 
offences is imprifonment, and a bread and water diet. An 
Enfign, a good friend of ours at this place, told us, that for 
having been concerned in a drunken riot, he was confined 
in the black hole for three months, and fed upon bread 
and water; which, he faid, fo fhattered his nerves, that 
he had never fince had fpirits for a common convivial 
meeting. 
I accompanied Captain Shmaleff to the entrance of Awat- 
fka River, and, having bid him farewel, took this opportu¬ 
nity of paying a vilit to the Pried of Paratounca. On Sun¬ 
day the 26th, I attended him to church. The congregation 
confided of his own family, three Kamtfchadale men, and 
three boys, who affided in finging part of the fervice; 
the whole of which was performed in a very folemn and 
edifying manner. The church is of' wood, and by far the 
3 bed 
