leave.

"But the mortification was the least of my wor-
ries. The object of the embassy was to establish not
only good will and friendship between Russia and
Japan, for which we cared little, but commercial
intercourse between this fertile country and our
northeastern and barren possessions. It would have
been greatly to the advantage of the Japanese, and
God knows it would have meant much to us."

Then Rezanov having tickled the imaginations
and delighted the curiosity of the priests, began to
play upon their heartstrings. His own voice
vibrated as he related the sufferings of the servants
of the Company, and while avoiding the nomen-
clature and details of their bodily afflictions, gave
so thrilling a hint of their terrible condition that his
audience gasped with sympathy while experiencing
no qualms in their own more fortunate stomachs.

He led their disarmed understandings as far
down the vale of tears as he deemed wise, then per-
mitted himself a magnificent burst of spontaneity.

"I must tell you the object of my mission to
California, my kind friends!" he cried, "although I
beg you will not betray me to the other powers until
I think it wise to speak myself. But I must have
your sympathy and advice. It has long been my