It was night before we reached the fhips, and we had
then been twelve hours upon our legs. Poor Ivaikin found
h im fe lf exceedingly tired and overcome with fatigu e ; probably,
he was more fenfible o f it, for want o f a fupply o f
fn u ff; for, every flep he took, his hand dived mechanically
into his pocket, and drew Out his huge empty box. We had
fcarcely got into the tent, when the weather fet in exceedin
g ly rou gh and wet. We congratulated ourfelves, that we
had not flayed out another day, the Hofpodin’s box was re-
plenifhed, and w e forgot the fatigues and ill fuccefs o f our
expedition over a good fupper.
I was exceedingly forry, on be in g told the next day, that
our friend the ferjeant had undergone corporal pUnifh-
ment, during our abfence, by command o f the old Put-pa-
rouchick. None o f our people had been able to learn what
was the caufe o f his difpleafure ; but it was imagined to
have arifen from fome little jealoufy fubfifting between
them, on account o f the civility which we had ihewn to the
former. However, ha vin g every reafon to believe, that the
offence, whatever it might be, did not call fo r fo d ifgrace ful
a chaftifement, w e could not help being both forry and
much provoked at it, as the terms on which we had lived
with him, and the interefl we were known to take in his
affairs, made the affront in fome meafure perfonal to ourfelves.
For it has not y e t been mentioned, that we had con-
fulted with thè late worthy Commander, Major Behm,
who was alfo his friend, b y what means w e migh t be moil
lik e ly to fucceed in doing him fome fervice, for the good
order he had kept in the oflrog during our flay, and for his
readinefs, on all occafions, to oblige us. T h e Major ad-
vifed a letter o f recommendation to the Governor General,
w hich Captain Clerke had accordingly given him, and
which,
which, backed with his own reprefentations, he had no ■ '779-
_ September.
doubt would g e t-th e ferjeant advanced a ftep higher in his «— *—
profeflion.
We did not choofe to make any remonffrance on this fub-
je f l, till the arrival o f Captain Shmaleff. Indeed our inability,
from the want o f language, to enter into any d ifcu f-
fion o f the bufinefs, made it advifable to come to this determination.
However, when the Put-parouchick paid us his
next vifit, w e could not help teftifying our chagrin, b y receiving
him. very coolly.
The 22d, b e in g the anniverfary o f his Majefly’ s corona- Wednef. szj.
tion, twenty-one guns were fired, and the handfomeft feaft
our fituation would-allow o f was prepared, in honour o f
the day. As we were fitting down to dinner, the arrival o f
Captain Shmaleff was announced. This was a mod agreeable
furprize-; in the firfl place, becaufe he arrived fo opportunely
to partake o f the good fare and feftivity o f the occa-
fion; and, in the next, becaufe, in our laft accounts o f him,
we were given to underfland, that the effefts o f a fevere ill—
nefs had made him unequal to the journ e y. We were glad:
to find this had been merely an e x cu fe ; that, in fa i l, he
was afhamed o f coming empty-handed, kn ow in g we muff:
be in great want o f tea, fugar, ¿»c. fee. ; and that therefore.’
he had deferred his fetting out, in daily expectation o f the:
floop from Okotfk; but having no tidings o f her, and d readin
g left we fhould fail, without his having paid us a vifit, he.'
was determined to fet out, though with nothing better to-
prefent to us, than apologies for the poverty o f Bolcheretfk.
At the fame time, he acquainted us, that our not ha vin g,
received the fixteen head o f black cattle, w e had defired:
migh t be fent down, was ow in g to the very heavy rainsate
* - - ••