A New Voyage Round the World in the Years 1823, 24, 25, and 26. Vol. 1Kotzebue, Otto von
History
A New Voyage Round the World in the Years 1823, 24, 25, and 26. Vol. 1
Kotzebue, Otto von
Discoveries in geography; Predpriiatie (Ship); Voyages around the world; Zoology
Lagediak, on visiting me again the following morning, brought me roasted
fish, bread-fruit, and fresh cocoa-nuts, for breakfast: he drank coffee
with me, and appeared to think it not much amiss. He brought with him
his son, about thirteen or fourteen years of age, to present to me. This
interesting boy appeared to inherit the disposition of his amiable
father. His intelligent countenance afforded a promise, which the
modesty and propriety of his conduct confirmed: he might easily have
been educated for our most refined society.
Lagediak soon recurred to his yesterday's project of making me chief of
Radack. He sketched the plan of its execution, and entered upon the
further measures which would be requisite to give power and stability to
the new government. We were first to sail to Aur and vanquish Lamari,
and then to attack the hostile group of the Mediuro islands, the
conquest of which would render me master of the whole chain of Radack.
Animated by these valiant projects, he flourished his fist as if
already in battle, till it encountered a tea-cup, which fell in a
thousand fragments to the ground. His natural timidity suddenly banished
the heroism into which his subject had wrought him: he feared he had
done me an injury, and consequently incurred my displeasure. I
re-assured him on this head, but gave him much pain by representing the
impossibility of my remaining in Radack, as my duty called me elsewhere.
After some minutes of silent consideration, he led his son to me, and
begged I would take him with me to Russia. I was then obliged to explain
to him that I should never return to Radack, and that if his son
accompanied me, he must take leave of him for ever. This was too much
for the father's heart; he embraced his son, and would no longer think
of a separation. He was also overcome with sorrow at the idea of seeing
me for the last time; and a little self-interest probably mingled in the
melancholy look he cast upon a hatchet which I had given him, as he
exclaimed--"I shall never get any iron again!"
I now turned the conversation on the Mediuro, and expressed a wish to
know how the campaign had prospered, which Lamari, when I was last here,
was about to undertake against those islands. He understood me
perfectly, and taxed to the utmost his powers of pantomime to give me an
account of the war, in which he had himself been engaged.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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