e, his good opinion of us remained unchanged. It was true
that he could not answer for the light in which the government would
regard our flight, but he would still hold himself devoted to our
interests, and endeavor to get permission for us to return to Russia;
but until our affairs were settled, we must, according to the Japanese
laws, return to prison, and be more carefully guarded than before.

After the governor had finished his speech, he left the hall, whilst
we were immediately bound, and led to a prison, which, like our former
ones, consisted of cages. I was put into a small one, whilst my
companions were confined together in one of a large size. They stood,
however, so near together, that we could converse very easily. Our
food was now given to us with a very sparing hand, and the sailors
continually complained of hunger. After supper, which we ate about
four o'clock, our prison was shut up, and as the walls were made of
boards, instead of lattice work, not a ray of light reached us after
that hour. As soon as it struck six o'clock, the guards came to
examine us, which they did very thoroughly, and if we were asleep woke
us, to answer to our names. On the fourth of May, we were again led
into the hall, at daybreak, where, as I received many hints, something
very important was this time to be determined. When we had taken our
places on the benches, which were prepared for us, they unloosened
our hands, but did not remove from our waists the rope, which we were
led by. The governor now repeated the questions he had before asked
us, and had the answers we gave, carefully explained. But now came the
most important question, which was, whether I considered my conduct as
right or wrong, and whether I thought I had acted properly towards the
Japanese or not.

"The Japanese," replied I, "forced us to the course we took, by first
taking us prisoners by stratagem, and then refusing to give credence
to our assertions."

The governor appeared very much astonished at my words; the capturing
of us, he said, was now a by-gone affair, about which it was useless
to say any thing; he merely wished to know whether I considered myself
innocent or guilty, as in the former case he could not lay our case
before the Emperor. All the objections I made, did no good; they only
made him angry, and he kept repeating the same question. At last as I
began to see what he was aiming at, and that he only had our interests
in view, I frankly