otwithstanding it was attended with the most
unseasonable delay. At length we arrived at the house of the commanding-
officer of the party, into which we were ushered; and after no small stir
in giving orders, and disposing of the military without doors, our host
made his appearance, accompanied by another person, whom we understood to
be the secretary of the port. One of Ismyloff's letters was now opened, and
the other sent off by a special messenger to Bolcheretsk, a town on the
west side of the peninsula of Kamtschatka, where the Russian commander of
this province usually resides.

It is very remarkable, that they had not seen the ship the preceding day,
when we came to anchor in the bay, nor indeed this morning, till our boats
were pretty near the ice. The panic with which the discovery had struck
them, we found had been very considerable. The garrison was immediately put
under arms. Two small field-pieces were placed at the entrance of the
commander's house, and pointed toward our boats; and shot, powder, and
lighted matches, were all ready at hand.

The officer, in whose house we were at present entertained, was a serjeant,
and the commander of the _ostrog_. Nothing could exceed the kindness and
hospitality of his behaviour, after he recovered from the alarm occasioned
by our arrival. We found the house insufferably hot, but exceedingly neat
and clean. After I had changed my clothes, which the serjeant's civility
enabled me to do, by furnishing me with a complete suit of his own, we were
invited to sit down to dinner, which I have no doubt was the best he could
procure; and, considering the shortness of time he had to provide it, was
managed with some ingenuity. As there was not time to prepare soup and
_bouilli_, we had in their stead some cold beef, sliced, with hot water
poured over it. We had next a large bird roasted, of a species with which I
was unacquainted, but of a very excellent taste. After having eaten a part
of this, it was taken off, and we were served with fish dressed two
different ways; and soon after the bird again made its appearance, in
savory and sweet _pates_. Our liquor, of which I shall have to speak
hereafter, was of the kind called by the Russians _quass_, and was much the
worst part of the entertainment. The serjeant's wife brought in several of
the dishes herself, and was not permitted to sit down at table. Having
finished our repast, during which it is hardly necessary to remark, that