im our wonderful escape from the
pirates, whom I had served, much against my will, for more than a
month.

Two days afterwards, an English frigate set sail for home. I took my
passage in it, and after a short, prosperous voyage, landed at
Plymouth, my native town.

Captivity among the Japanese.

On the fifth of July, A. D., 1811, the Russian sloop of war, Diana,
approached Kumachir, one of the most southerly of the Kurile islands,
belonging to Japan, for the purpose of seeking shelter in one of its
bays against an approaching storm. They were received, on their
arrival, by a shower of balls from a fort which commanded the bay. As
no one, however, approached the vessel, its commander, Vassillii
Golownin, considering this hostile reception as the natural
consequence of former deeds of violence perpetrated by his countrymen
in those waters, did not return the fire, but endeavored, by means of
signs, to make the natives understand that his intentions towards them
were friendly, and that he wished to land merely to fill his water
casks. After a protracted negociation, a nearer conference was agreed
on, and Golownin was imprudent enough to fall into the snare set for
him. But we will let him describe the dangers and sufferings he
underwent, in his own words:

After we had cast anchor, says he, in the spot designated to us, I
landed with midshipman Moor, the steersman, Chleb Nikow, four sailors,
and Alexis, a native of the Kuriles, who acted as interpreter. So
deceived were we by the apparent friendliness of the Japanese, that we
took no arms with us, except our swords. In order to destroy any
distrust they might feel towards us, I ordered our boat to be partly
drawn on shore, and left a sailor to watch it. The rest of the men, by
my orders, carried after us some chairs, and the presents we intended
for the natives. As I entered the fort, I was astonished to find that
a large crowd had collected in it. There were at least four hundred
soldiers, armed with guns, pikes, and javelins, drawn up in an open
space to the right of the gates. Opposite to them was a tent made of
striped cotton stuffs, into which we were conducted. The commander of
the fort, a stately man, dressed in a complete suit of armor, and
wearing two sabres by his side, rose on our entrance, and when we had
saluted him, politely begged us to be seated on some benches which
were set ready for us. We thanked him for his courtesy, but preferred
taking