tion to go directly to Monterey and present our offi-
cial documents, as well as our respects, to your illus-
trious Governor, but owing to contrary winds and
a resultant scarcity of provisions, we were under
the necessity of putting into the nearest harbor.
The Juno is navigated by Lieutenant Davidov and
Lieutenant Khovstov, of the Imperial Navy of Rus-
sia; by gracious permission associated with the Ma-
rine of the Russo-American Company." He paused
a moment, and then swept out his trump card with
a magnificent flourish: "Our expedition is in com-
mand of His Excellency, Privy Counsellor and
Grand Chamberlain Baron Rezanov, late Ambas-
sador to the Court of Japan, Plenipotentiary of the
Russo-American Company, Imperial Inspector of
the extreme eastern and northwestern American
dominions of His Imperial Majesty, Alexander the
First, Emperor of all the Russias, whose representa-
tives in these waters he is."

The Spaniards were properly impressed as the
priest translated with the glibness of the original;
but Arguello, who announced himself as Com-
mandante ad interim of the Presidio of San Fran-
cisco during the absence of his father at Monterey,
nodded sagely several times, and then held a short
conference in Spanish with the interpreter. The
priest turned to the Russians with a smile as diplo-
matic as that which Rezanov had drilled upon the
ugly ingenuous countenance of his medicine man.