t seeing most of them
without any other covering than a shirt and trowsers, although at the very
moment it actually snowed.

As Major Behm had expressed his intentions of visiting the ships before he
landed, as soon as we arrived off the town, I desired to receive his
commands; when remarking, that from the account we had given of the very
bad state of Captain Clerke's health, it might be imprudent to disturb him
at so late an hour, (it being now past nine o'clock,) he thought it, he
said, most advisable to remain that night on shore. Accordingly, after
attending him to the serjeant's house, I took my leave for the present, and
went on board to acquaint Captain Clerke with my proceedings at
Bolcheretsk. It was with the utmost concern I found, that, in the fortnight
we had been absent, this excellent officer was much altered for the worse,
instead of reaping that advantage we flattered ourselves he might from the
repose of the harbour, and the milk and vegetable diet with which he was
supplied.

As soon as I had dispatched this business, I returned to the major, and the
next morning conducted him to the ships; where, on his arrival, he was
saluted with thirteen guns, and received with every other mark of
distinction that it was in our power to pay him. He was attended by the
commander of one of the Russian galliots, the master of a sloop that lay in
the harbour, two merchants from Bolcheretsk, and the priest of the
neighbouring village of Paratounca, for whom he appeared to entertain the
highest respect, and whom I shall hereafter have occasion to mention, on
account of his great kindness to Captain Clerke.

After visiting the captain, and taking a view of both the ships, he
returned to dinner on board the Resolution; and, in the afternoon, the
various curiosities we had collected in the course of our voyage were shewn
him, and a complete assortment of every article presented to him by Captain
Clerke. On this occasion I must not pass over an instance of great
generosity and gratitude in the sailors of both ships; who, when they were
told of the handsome present of tobacco that was made them by the major,
desired, entirely of their own accord, that their grog might be stopped,
and their allowance of spirits presented, on their part, to the garrison of
Bolcheretsk, as they said they had reason to conclude that brandy was
scarce in the country, and would be very acceptable to them, since the
soldiers on shore had offered