Captain
Rikord, returned to Kunashir, bringing one of the Japanese who had been
taken prisoner in the descent on Saghalien. The other had died. Six
other Japanese, who had been lately shipwrecked, were brought, in the
hope of exchanging these seven for the seven prisoners. Efforts were
made to communicate with the Japanese, but they refused to receive the
Russian message, and sent back word that the prisoners were all dead.
Two of the Japanese sent ashore failed to return.

Rikord, weary of the delay and discourtesy shown, now resolved to take
more vigorous action, and seized upon a large Japanese ship that
entered the bay, taking prisoner the captain, who seemed to be a person
of distinction, and who told them that six of the Russians were in the
town of Matsumai. Not fully crediting this, Rikord resolved to carry his
captive to Kamchatka, hoping to obtain from him some useful information
concerning the purposes of the Japanese government. At Rikord's request
the merchant wrote a letter to the commander of the fort at Kunashir,
telling him what was proposed. No answer was returned, and when the
boats tried to land for water they were fired upon. The guns were also
turned upon the Diana whenever she approached the shore, but with such
wretched aim that the Russians only laughed at it.

In the following summer the Diana returned to Kunashir, bringing Kachi,
the merchant, who had been seriously ill from homesickness, and two of
his attendants, the others having died. The two attendants were sent on
shore, Kachi bidding them to tell that he had been very well treated,
and that the ship had made an early return on account of his health. On
the next day Rikord unconditionally set free his captive, trusting to
his honor for his doing all he could to procure the release of the
prisoners.

Kachi kept his word, and soon was able to obtain a letter in the
handwriting of Golownin, stating that he and his companions were all
alive and well at Matsumai. Afterwards one of the Russian sailors was
brought to Kunashir and sent on board the Diana, with the understanding
that he would return to the fort every night. Despite the watchfulness
of the Japanese, he succeeded in bringing a letter from Golownin, which
he had sewed into his jacket. This advised Rikord to be prudent, civil,
and patient, and not to send him any letters or papers which would cause
him to be tormented with questions or translations. In truth, he had
been fairly t