The Major was married, his wife being the only person worthy the appellation of lady; an agreeable person, with good eyes and teeth; she came on board to breakfast and enjoyed our band. [Sidenote: June 26.] At 9.45 P.M. steamer’s lights were observed outside, and shortly afterwards our Staff-Commander piloted the _Salamis_ in, bringing our mail from Shanghai. [Sidenote: June 27.] At half-past ten weighed under steam, in company with _Salamis_. She having some defect in her machinery, was directed to Vladivostock, which Captain Courtenay in his excellent report describes as somewhat more cheery and civilized than Novogorod. Although _Salamis’s_ defects were nothing but what she could put to rights with her own engineers, she was to rejoin us in Castrie’s Bay. Afternoon, all being well, clear of the bay, got screw up, having only just coal enough to keep us in distilled water. Stood to the eastward, and when well off shore, shaped a course up the Gulf of Tartary. [Sidenote: Saghalien. Usu Bay. July 4.] Made Cape Lamanon on the coast of Saghalien. At 7, came to in 7 fathoms in Usu Bay. Here we found a straggling village of Ainos, all fishermen. A small stream ran into the sea, off the mouth of which their nets were arranged, forming three sides of a square, the fourth open on the land side. The outside was about a cable’s length from the shore, the two sides extending the whole length, close to the outside net. But on the inside they had another net which appeared to lie on the bottom; this they drew up every now and then, generally bringing up from thirty to fifty salmon. A few buttons or a bit of silver would buy as many as we liked to take. We found a Japanese trading junk from Hakodadi, bringing salt and rice in exchange for dried fish and seaweed. The Russians appeared to assume authority over the more simple Ainos, and I have no doubt drove lucrative bargains. The hills and woods, with the green grass, had, from the ship, an inviting appearance which was dispelled on attempting to walk, owing to the rank vegetation and myriads of mosquitoes. The Ainos themselves were as dirty as need be. In a cage was the usual bear, petted and fattened to be killed and eaten at the annual festival amidst lamentations and rejoicings, when all get drunk who can. They had a few skins for sale, and among them Dr. Fegan, with the assistance of Adams, succeeded in getting me three tolerably good sables.