The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VII. Being the Third of the Third VoyageKing, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VII. Being the Third of the Third Voyage
King, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
About seven o’clock, the commander, conceiving we might be fatigued with
our journey, and desirous of taking some repose, begged he might conduct
us to our lodgings. It was in vain that we protested against a
compliment which we had certainly no title to expect, but that of being
strangers; a circumstance which seemed, in the opinion of this generous
Livonian, to counterbalance every other consideration. In our way, we
passed by two guard-houses, where the men were turned out under arms, in
compliment to Captain Gore; and were afterward brought to a very neat
and decent house, which the major gave us to understand was to be our
residence, during our stay. Two sentinels were posted at the door; and
in a house adjoining, there was a serjeant’s guard. Having shown us into
our apartments, the major took his leave, with a promise to see us the
next day; and we were left to find out, at our leisure, all the
conveniences that he had most amply provided for us. A soldier, called a
_putpropersckack_, whose rank is between that of a serjeant and
corporal, along with our fellow-traveller Port, were appointed to be our
male domestics; besides whom, there was a housekeeper and a cook, who
had orders to obey Port’s directions in dressing us a supper, according
to our own mode of cookery. We received many civil messages, in the
course of the evening, from the principal people of the town,
purporting, that they would not add to our fatigues, by paying their
respects to us at that time, but would wait on us in the morning. Such
well-supported politeness and attention in a country so desolate and
uncultivated, formed a contrast exceedingly favourable to its
inhabitants; and to finish the piece as it began, at sun-set the
serjeant came with the report of his guard to Captain Gore.
Early in the morning, we received the compliments of the commander, of
Captain Shmaleff, and of the principal inhabitants of the town, who all
honoured us with visits soon after. The two first having sent for Port,
after we were gone to rest, and inquired of him, what articles we seemed
to be most in want of on board the ships; we found them prepared to
insist on our sharing with the garrison under their command, in what
little stock of provisions they had remaining. At the same time they
lamented, that we had arrived at a season of the year, when there was
always the greatest scarcity of every thing amongst them; the sloops not
being yet arrived, with their annual supply, from Okotsk.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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