s welfare on the part of the commandant, and even
Billings kept away from him. All he could learn was, that he was
considered as a French spy, which Billings could at once have
contradicted. His state of suspense was very short, as, on the same day,
he was sent off in a kabitka, with two guards, one on each side.

In this manner was our traveller conveyed to the frontiers of Poland, a
distance of six thousand versts, in six weeks. "Thank heaven," says he,
as he approached Poland, "petticoats appear, and the glimmerings of
other features. Women are the sure harbingers of an alteration in
manners, in approaching a country where their influence is felt." He has
bestowed, indeed, a beautiful and touching tribute to the excellence of
the female character, not more beautiful than just, which cannot be too
often recorded in print.

On setting our traveller down in Poland, the soldiers who had guarded
him, gave him to understand that he might then go where he pleased; but
that, if he again returned to the dominions of the empress, he would
certainly be hanged. It did not appear for some time what the real cause
was of this proceeding; but there is every reason to believe it arose
out of the jealousy of the North-west Russian Fur Company, whose
head-quarters were at Irkutsk, and that their influence at Petersburgh
had procured from the empress the annulment of her previous order,
together with the present inhuman mandate. Ledyard, however, knew
nothing of this; and, having neither relish nor motive for making the
experiment a second time, he took the shortest route to Konigsberg,
where he found himself destitute, without friends or means, his hopes
blasted, and his health enfeebled. In this forlorn condition, he
bethought himself once more of the benevolence of Sir Joseph Banks, and
had the good luck to raise five guineas, by a draft on his old
benefactor, with which he reached London. Here he was kindly received by
Sir Joseph Banks, who gave him an introduction to Mr. Beaufoy, the
secretary of a newly-formed association for promoting discoveries in
Africa.

"Before," says Mr. Beaufoy, "I had learnt from the note the name and
business of my visitor, I was struck with the manliness of his person,
the breadth of his chest, the openness of his countenance and the
inquietude of his eye. I spread the map of Africa before him, and
tracing a line from Cairo to Sennaar, and from thence westward in the
latitude and supposed direction