nging to the Discovery, were set
fast in the ice, which a southerly wind had driven from the other side of
the bay. On seeing them entangled, the Discovery's launch had been sent to
their assistance, but shared the same fate; and in a short time the ice had
surrounded them near a quarter of a mile deep. This obliged us to stay on
shore till evening, when, finding no prospect of getting the boats off,
some of us went in sledges to the edge of the ice, and were taken off by
boats sent from the ship, and the rest staid on shore all night.

It continued to freeze hard during the night; but before morning, on the
4th, a change of wind drifted away the floating ice, and set the boats at
liberty, without their having sustained the smallest damage.

About ten o'clock in the forenoon, we saw several sledges driving down to
the edge of the ice, and sent a boat to conduct the persons who were in
them on board. One of these was a Russian merchant, from Bolcheretsk, named
Fedositch, and the other a German, called Port, who had brought a letter
from Major Behm, the commander of Kamtschatka, to Captain Clerke. When they
got to the edge of the ice, and saw distinctly the size of the ships, which
lay within about two hundred yards from them, they appeared to be
exceedingly alarmed; and, before they would venture to embark, desired two
of our boat's crew might be left on shore as hostages for their safety. We
afterward found, that Ismyloff, in his letter to the commander, had
misrepresented us, for what reasons we could not conceive, as two small
trading boats; and that the serjeant, who had only seen the ships at a
distance, had not in his dispatches rectified the mistake.

When they arrived on board, we still found, from their cautious and
timorous behaviour, that they were under some unaccountable apprehensions;
and an uncommon degree of satisfaction was visible in their countenances,
on the German's finding a person amongst us with whom he could converse.
This was Mr Webber, who spoke that language perfectly well; and at last,
though with some difficulty, convinced them that we were Englishmen and
friends. Mr Port, being introduced to Captain Clerke, delivered to him the
commander's letter, which was written in German, and was merely
complimental, inviting him and his officers to Bolcheretsk, to which place
the people who brought it were to conduct us. Mr Port, at the same time
acquainted him, that the major had conceived a very wron