My mail had been taken to my cabin. I ran there, and did not know which to open first--the letters or parcels. I opened the parcels. There were socks, handkerchiefs, shoulder-straps, sweets, cigarettes, soap, eau-de-Cologne, scents, brushes, etc. My eyes opened wide. My servant helped me to sort and wipe everything. It was all stuck together. How joyfully I separated all this! Indeed, I cannot say all I feel at present. I must calm myself. The eau-de-Cologne and scents have travelled well. The jam, although it was soldered up, leaked. The cigarettes are a little spoilt, but they can be smoked. Newspapers I could not read. I only read the parts marked by you. I am writing in broken sentences. Perhaps to-morrow I shall have to send this letter; now my head is in a whirl. _April 27th._--Perhaps the _Kostroma_, which has not joined the fleet yet, will bring another mail. You see how spoilt I am. My head is stupid to-day, but I am so pleased and happy at having received all you sent me. I wanted to write to you, when two torpedo-boats collided--the _Grosny_ and _Bezuprechny_. They must be quickly repaired. We are at sea, and the torpedo-boats are in harbour thirty versts away. 4 p.m.--I sat a long time in the whaler, waiting an opportunity to go to the _Buistry_. She took me to Port Dayot Bay, where some of the fleet are lying. I go back to the _Suvaroff_ at dawn. The fleet in general received few mails. Every one is complaining, but I am satisfied. I saw an officer in a torpedo-boat washing a tunic for himself. It was a strange sight. _April 28th._--My work in the _Bezuprechny_ was successfully carried out. I returned to the fleet in the torpedo-boat _Bodry_. We met the fleet returning to Van Fong Bay to coal, as the open sea was rough. We leave here to-morrow morning. The French sternly drive us away, but we stay on. It is impertinence. Port Dayot is really the same as Van Fong, as it is a gulf joined to it by a wide strait. It is very beautiful. The shores are hilly and covered with thick wood. In the corner of the bay lies a wrecked French gunboat, which is being dismantled. There are a lot of goats, peacocks, monkeys, elephants, and wild beasts on shore. Yesterday I dined in the _Bezuprechny_. The night was calm. They brought officers over from the neighbouring boats. They all live in a very friendly way. It is their custom to give each other presents on their names-days and birthdays. Sometimes the presents are very curious ones. They invited me to spend the night, but I refused. I went to the _Kamchatka_. A cabin was ready for me there, but I preferred spending the night half-sitting in a long chair, in the fresh air on deck. At six o'clock a torpedo-boat came for me. In the _Kamchatka_ they begged me to take several things to the _Suvaroff_. I did not do so.