ernor the fact of his pressing need; they were high
officials with an inflexible sense of duty, and did all
they could to enforce the law against trading with
foreigners. He was to maintain the fiction of belt-
ing the globe, but admit that he had indulged in a
dream of commercial relations--for a benefit strictly
mutual--between neighbors as close as the Spanish
and Russians in America. This would interest
them--what would not, on the edge of the world?
--and they would agree to lay the matter, rein-
forced by a strong personal plea, before the Viceroy
of Mexico; who in turn would send it to the Cab-
inet and King at Madrid. Meanwhile, he was to
confide in the priests at the Mission. Not only
would their sympathies be enlisted, but they did
much trading under the very nose of the govern-
ment. Not for personal gain--they were vowed to
a life of poverty; but for their Indian converts;
and as there were twelve hundred at the Mission of
San Francisco, they would wink at many things con-
demnable in the abstract. He had engaged to visit
them on the morrow, and he must take presents to
tempt their impersonal cupidity, and invite them to
inspect the rest of his wares--which the Governor
would be informed his Excellency had been forced
to buy with the Juno from the Yankee skipper,
D'Wolf, and would rid himself of did opportunity
offer.

Rezanov had never received sounder advice, and