with a direct and hearty sympathy.

"No better epithet for him," he said. "And the
sooner Europe combines to get rid of him the bet-
ter. But until it does, count upon a common griev-
ance to unite your country and mine."

"Good!" muttered the Governor. "Good! I am
glad that nightmare has lifted its bat's wings from
our poor California. Captain O'Cain's raid two
years ago made me apprehensive, for he took away
some eleven hundred of our otter skins and his
hunters were Aleutians--subjects of the Tsar. A
negro that deserted gave the information that they
were furnished the Bostonian by the chief manager
of your Company--Baranhov--whose reputation we
know well enough!--for the deliberate purpose of
raiding our coast."

Rezanov shrugged his shoulders and replied indif-
ferently: "I will ask Baranhov when I return to
Sitka, and write you the particulars. It is more
likely that the Aleutians were deserters. This
O'Cain would not be the first shrewd Bostonian to
tempt them, for they are admirable hunters and
ready for any change. They make a greater de-
mand upon the Company for variety of diet than
we are always prepared to meet, so many are the
difficulties of transportation across Siberia. When,
therefore, the time arrived that I could continue my