the crew, and to make a farther provifion o f ten puncheons
o f ftrong fpruce ellence. The prefent fupply was the more
acceptable, as our laft'caik o f fpirits, except a fmall quantity
left in referve for cafes o f neceffity, was n ow ferving
out.
The 3d was the name-day o f the Emprefs; and we could
want no inducement to fhew it every poffible refpedt. A c cordingly
Captain Gore invited the Prieft o f Paratounca,
Ivaikin, and the Serjeant, to d in n e r ; and an entertainment
was alfo provided for the inferior officers o f the garrifon,
for the two Toions o f Paratounca, and St. Peter and St. Paul,
and for the other better fort o f Kamtfchadale inhabitants.
The reft o f the natives, o f every defcription, were invited to
partake with the lhips companies, who had a pound o f
good fat be e f ferved out to each man; and what remained
o f our fpirits was made into grog, and divided amongft
them. A falute o f twenty-one guns was fired at the ufual
hour ; and the whole was con d u ced (eonfidering the part o f
her dominions it was in) in a manner not unworthy fo re nowned
and magnificent an Emprefs.
On the yth, we received, from Bolcheretfk, a freih fupply
o f tea, fugar, and tobacco. This prefent had met Captain
Shmaleff on his return, and was accompanied by a letter
from him, in which he informed us, that the floop from
Okotik had arrived during his abfence, and that Madame
Shmaleff, who was entirely in our interefts, had loft no time
in difpatching a courier, with the few prefents, o f which
ou r acceptance was requefted.
T h e appearance o f fou l weather, on the 6th and 7th, prevented
our unmooring; but on the morning o f the 8th, we
failed out toward the mouth o f the bay, and hoifted in all
the
the b o a ts ; when the wind, veering to the Southward, *77?-
' ° Oaober.
ltopped our farther progrefs, and obliged us to drop anchor > — »
in ten fathoms ; the ojlrog bearing due North, h a lf a league
diftant.
T h e weather being fo g g y , and the wind from the fame
quarter during the forenoon o f the 9th, we continued in our Sa tu rda y 9 .
ffation. At four in the afternoon, w e again unmoored; but
whilft we were, with great difficulty, w e igh in g our laft anchor,
I was told that the drummer o f the marines had left
the boat, which had juft returned from the village, and
that he was laft feen with a Kamtfchadale woman, to whom
his meflmates kn ew he had been much attached, and who
had often been obferved perfuading him to ftay behind.
T h o u g h this man had been long ufelefs to us, from a
fw e llin g in his knee, which rendered him lame, yet this
made me the more u nw illin g he ffiould be left behind, to
become a miferable burthen, both to the Ruffians and him-
felf. I therefore got the ferjeant to fend parties o f foldiers,
in different directions, in fearch o f him, whilft fome o f our
failors went to a w e ll kn own haunt o f his in the neighbourhood,
where they found him with his woman. On the return
o f this party, w ith our deferter, we weighed, and fo llowed
the Refolution out o f the bay.
Ha vin g at length taken our leave o f St. Peter and St. Paul,
1 fhall conclude this chapter with a particular defcription o f
Awatfka bay, and the coaft adjoining; not only becaufe (its
three inlets included) it conftitutes perhaps the moft exten-
five, and fafeft, harbour that has yet been difcovered ; but
becaufe it is the only port in this part o f the world, capable'
o f admitting fhips o f any confiderable burthen. T he term;
Bay, indeed,, is perhaps not applicable, properly fpeaking,.
, tO'