ourney he accomplished within seven weeks; but
he writes to Mr. Jefferson, "I cannot tell you by what means I came, and
hardly know by what means I shall quit it." Through the influence of
Professor Pallas, but more especially by the assistance of a Russian
officer, he obtained the passport of the empress, then on her route to
the Crimea, in fifteen days. His long and dreary journey having
exhausted his money, and worn out his clothes, he drew on Sir Joseph
Banks for twenty guineas, which that munificent patron of science and
enterprise did not hesitate to pay.

Fortunately, a Scotch physician, of the name of Brown, was proceeding in
the service of the empress as far as the province of Kolyvan, who
offered him a seat in his kabitka, and thus assisted him on his journey
for more than three thousand miles. Having reached Irkutsk, he remained
there about ten days, and left it in company with lieutenant Laxman, a
Swedish officer, to embark on the Lena, at a point one hundred and fifty
miles distant from Irkutsk, with the intention of floating down its
current to Yakutsk. On his arrival at this place, he waited on the
commandant, told him he wished to press forward, with all expedition, to
Okotsk before the winter should shut in, that he might secure an early
passage in the spring to the American continent. The commandant assured
him that such a journey was already impossible; that the
governor-general, from whom he had brought letters, ordered him to show
all possible kindness and service, "and the first and best service,"
said he, "is to beseech you not to attempt to reach Okotsk this winter."
Ledyard still persisting to proceed, a trader was brought in, who, in
like manner, declared the journey utterly impracticable.

While thus detained for the winter at Yakutsk, he drew up some very just
observations on the Tartars, which were afterwards published.

He had not remained long at Yakutsk, when Captain Billings returned from
the Kolyma. This officer had attended the astronomer Bayley, as his
assistant, on the last voyage of Cook, and was, of course, well known to
Ledyard. Being on his journey to Irkutsk, he invited Ledyard to
accompany him thither. They travelled in sledges up the Lena, and
reached Irkutsk in seventeen days, being a distance of fifteen hundred
miles. Scarcely, however, had he arrived at this place when he was put
under arrest, by an order from the empress. He now experienced no more
of that concern for hi