them perform several parts of their manual exercise, probably with a view
to shew us, that if we had the temerity to offer any violence, we should
have to deal with men who were not ignorant of their business.

Though I was all this time in my wet clothes, shivering with cold, and
sufficiently inclined to the most unconditional submission, without having
my fears violently alarmed, yet it was impossible not to be diverted with
this military parade, notwithstanding it was attended with the most
unseasonable delay. At length we arrived at the house of the commanding-
officer of the party, into which we were ushered; and after no small stir
in giving orders, and disposing of the military without doors, our host
made his appearance, accompanied by another person, whom we understood to
be the secretary of the port. One of Ismyloff's letters was now opened, and
the other sent off by a special messenger to Bolcheretsk, a town on the
west side of the peninsula of Kamtschatka, where the Russian commander of
this province usually resides.

It is very remarkable, that they had not seen the ship the preceding day,
when we came to anchor in the bay, nor indeed this morning, till our boats
were pretty near the ice. The panic with which the discovery had struck
them, we found had been very considerable. The garrison was immediately put
under arms. Two small field-pieces were placed at the entrance of the
commander's house, and pointed toward our boats; and shot, powder, and
lighted matches, were all ready at hand.

The officer, in whose house we were at present entertained, was a serjeant,
and the commander of the _ostrog_. Nothing could exceed the kindness and
hospitality of his behaviour, after he recovered from the alarm occasioned
by our arrival. We found the house insufferably hot, but exceedingly neat
and clean. After I had changed my clothes, which the serjeant's civility