over, Mr. Webber was defired to acquaint the Major w ith
the objeft o f our journey, with our want o f naval ftores,
flour, and freih provifions, and other neceflaries for the fhips
crews ; and at the fame time to allure him, that we were
fenfible, from what w e had already feen o f the condition
o f the country about Awatfka Bay, w e could not expetft:
much afliftance from him in that q u a r te r ; that the impof-
fibility o f fending heavy flores acrofs the peninfula, during
the prefent feafon o f the year, was but too apparent, from
the difficulties we had met with in our journey ; and that,
long before any material change could take place, w e
ihould be under the neceflity o f proceeding on our voyage.
W e were here interrupted by the Commander, who ob-
ferved, that we did not yet know what they were capable o f
d o in g ; that, at leaft, it was not his bufinefs to think o f the
difficulties o f fupplying our wants, but only to learn what
•were the articles we flood in need of, and the longeft time
we could allow him, for procuring them. Afte r exprefling,
our fenfe o f his obligin g difpofition, we gave him a lift o f
the naval ftores, the number o f cattle, and the quantity o f
flour, w e were directed to purchafe, and told him, that
w e purpofed recommencing our voyage about the 5th o f
June.
Our converfation afterward turned upon different fubjedts;
and it w ill naturally be fuppofed, that our inquiries were-
principally directed to the obtaining fome information re -
fpedling our own country. Ha vin g now been abfent three-
years, we had flattered ourfelves w ith the certainty o f receiving
intelligence from Major Behm, w hich could not fail:
o f being inte re fting; and I cannot exprefs the difappoint-
ment w e felt, on finding, that he had no news to communicatenicate
o f a much later date than that o f our departure from ™ -
England. *-— ■—
About feven o’clock, the Commander, conceiving w e
m igh t be fatigued with our journey, and defirous o f taking
fome repofe, begged he might conduct us to our lodgings.
It was in vain that we protefted againft a compliment
w h ich we had certainly no title to expeit, but that o f being
ftrang ers; a circumftance w h ich feemed, in the opinion o f
this generous Livonian, to counterbalance every other con-
fideration. In our way, we pafled b y two guard-houfes,
where the men were turned out under arms, in compliment
to Captain G o re ; and were afterward brought to a very neat
and decent houfe, which the Major gave us to underftand was
to be our refidence, during our ftay. Tw o fentinels were
polled at the d o o r; and in a houfe adjoining, there was a
ferjeant's guard. Having ihewn us into our apartments,
the Major took his leave, with a promife to fee us the next
d a y ; and we were left to find out, at our leifure, all the
conveniencies that he had moft amply provided for us. A
foldier, called a putproperfciack, whofe rank is between that
o f a ferjeant and corporal, along with our fellow-traveller
Port, were appointed to be our male domeftics ; befides
whom, there was a houfe-keeper and a cook, who had orders
to obey Port’s direftions in drefling us a fupper, accordin
g to our own mode o f cookery. We received many civil
meflages, in the courfe o f the evening, from the principal
people o f the town, purporting, that they would not add to
our fatigues, by paying their refpefts to us at that time, but
would wait on us in the morning. Such well-fupported
politenefs and attention in a country fo defolate and uncultivated,
formed a contrail exceedingly favourable to its inhabitants;
and to finiih the piece as it began, at fun-fet the
E e 2 ferjeant