without trembling: the least error in position, the most trifling accident would have destroyed me. My companions could not have relieved, nor even so much as have seen me. This progress continued for three quarters of an hour, at the end of which I reached the other extremity of the rock, and no sooner had I arrived than I forgot the dangers of the way to think only of my dispatches. I had left them under the care of my soldiers, but I alone could undertake to save them. The experiment I had made encouraged me, and proud of my discovery, I did not hesitate to return upon my steps.

My people condemned my conduct, which they considered as rashness, and expressed their astonishment at seeing me again. I concealed not from them that the way was hazardous; "but as no accident had happened to me, why," I asked, "should you be deterred from following me? I will once more make the attempt, and I hope upon my return to find you free from apprehension, and disposed to imitate my example."

I immediately took up my port-folio, and the box that contained my dispatches. My two soldiers, Golikoff and Nedarezoff, whose dexterity I had already experienced, consented to accompany me. Without their assistance it would, I believe, have been impossible to save this precious deposit; we carried it in turn, exchanging it from one to another. that had last received it, for instance, who always marched foremost upon this narrow parapet, threw it suddenly into a hollow place of the rock, advancing at the same time a few steps; the others came after him, took up his burthen, and relieved themselves from it by the same manoeuvre. I cannot express what I felt during this operation; at every stride of the bearer over the gaps of the path, I imagined I saw my box ready to fall into the sea. Twenty times it was upon the point of escaping from our hands, and I felt my very blood curdle as if I had seen death itself gaping under my steps. Indeed I am not able to say what would have been the effect of my despair, if I had had the misfortune to lose it. I knew not a moment's ease till I had deposited this solemn charge in a

place of safety; my joy was then as vehement as had been my anxiety.

This second success inspired me with so much confidence, that I no longer doubted of the possibility of transporting our sledges in the same manner. I communicated my ideas to my soldiers; animated by my example, and by the event of their first experiment, they cheerfully returned with me for this new undertaking. By my order they had unharnessed a part of the dogs; they now fastened to the four corners of the sledges long thongs of leather, which I directed to be held by those who were before and behind the vehicle. We presently found the utility of this precaution; our sledges were sometimes wider than the parapet, and of consequence only rested on one skate, so that the load must have overturned them into the water if they had not been strongly supported; at other times the ice, as I have said, was entirely gone, when it was necessary to give them a sudden elevation in order to preserve their equilibrium. The muscular arms of my guides were scarcely equal to the weight, and it was sometimes as much as all of us could do to keep one another from falling. It was to no purpose for us to grapple the rock; it was perpetually to be feared that one of us should draw in the other, or that the ice should suddenly fail under our feet. We however suffered nothing but the apprehension.

"We returned once more to fetch the rest of our dogs. It seemed as if these poor animals judged better than ourselves of the extent of the danger, so much did they bark and draw back, particularly at the difficult passages. It was to no purpose to cheer them with our voice, it was necessary to strike them, or to pull them rapidly after us. There were four of them, who from aukwardness or terror, could not leap like the rest. The first perished in our sight without the possibility of our assisting him, the second remained suspended by his fore feet; one of my guides, supported by his comrade and leaning forward, was fortunate enough to save him; the other two were supported by their traces, and were easily extricated from the peril.

These various crossings backward and forward occasioned us seven hours incessant labour and apprehension. We were no sooner out of danger than we returned thanks to heaven like so many persons escaped from death. We embraced one another with transport, as if each had owned to his companion the preservation of his life. In short, our happiness was better felt than it is in my power to describe.'

In the evening our traveller reached the village of Armani, where he was kindly entertained by a Yakout; and enjoyed the luxury of milk provisions. He departed the same evening, and spent the following day at the fort of Taousk. After travelling another day he had advanced so far inland as to lose sight of the sea; but, at the end of four days, he again came upon the coast; and, on the following day, May 5, he reached Okotsk, and alighted at the house of major Kokh, who conducted him to the residence of M. Kasloff, the governor. Madame Kasloff received him as the friend of her husband and the companion of his dangers: but he found great difficulting in calming her apprehensions for M. Kasloff's safety.

This town is the principal mart of commerce for those parts. The port is very insignificant; but M. Lesseps found lieutenant Hall, in the navy, building two small vessels for the voyage of discovery intrusted to M. Billings. On the 10th of May, notwithstanding the wretched state of the roads, our traveller set off; but, after struggling against the most fearful dangers, his guides refused to proceed, and he was compelled to return to Okotsk, overcome with fatigue and chagrin; but the kindness of the Russian officers gradually restored his mind to tranquillity.

On the 26th, the ice on the river Okhota broke up, and on the thaw being ended the seine was immediately used. A prodigious quantity of small fish were caught; and, as a great scarcity prevailed, the joy and clamour at the sight was inconceivable. Whole families contended for the fish, which were instantly devoured raw.

At last, our traveller again prepared to depart. He was amply provided with bread and biscuit by his friends, although these articles could be little spared. M. Loftsoff, inspector,

lieutenant Hall, and M. Allegretti, the garrison surgeon, signified their wish to accompany him. Horses were also provided; but the want of food had rendered these poor animals very unfit for the service.

At sight of the horse I was to mount,' says Lesseps, 'I drew back with 'horror and compassion. I had never seen so wretched an animal. His sides were lank and hollow, his buttocks narrow and peaked, so that you might count every bone they contained, his neck unsupported, his head between his legs, his haunches nerveless and weak. Such is the exact description of my steed. You may judge of the figure of the other horses, among which mine passed for one of the least despicable. The saddle had a considerable resemblance to our own. Those which were provided for our baggage were smaller, made of wood, and perforated with holes; upon the top there were two sticks fastened cross-wise on which the load was suspended, taking care however to make the weight equal on both sides, as the smallest disproportion would infallibly have prevented the beasts from maintaining their equilibrium.

'It was in this pitiful plight that our caravan set out. To console ourselves for the slow pace we travelled, each was merry at the expence of his steed. Twelve wersts from Okotsk, a tolerably large salt work was pointed out to me on the sea coast; the men employed in it were all malefactors or convicts. Beyond this house we left the sea at our left, and travelled for some time on the banks of the Okhota.

"If the breaking up of this river occasion such alarm to the inhabitants of the town, its overflowings are not less fatal to the environs. Rising above the banks, the water not only floods the adjacent country, but becomes a torrent, that swells as it extends itself. It has been said to rise two feet above the tops of the highest trees. From this account one may suppose its ravages to be dreadful, and certain it is that I saw in the forests gulfs of an astonishing depth, said to be the work of these floods.

Within a short distance from Medvejégolova, my horse fell under me, and it was impossible to make him get up again; I had fortunately time to quit the saddle, and received

therefore no injury. We left the beast on the spot, where it doubtless expired a few hours after. We had still 11 horses remaining; I was therefore remounted in an instant, and reached the village without meeting with any other accident.

"We proceeded the next day, at nine o'clock in the morning, and forded the river Okhota, the course of which we were no longer to pursue. I perceived here and there some Yakout yourts at a considerable distance from each other: seldom are any number of them seen together.

The disposition of these families to live in this isolated manner, results from a motive of interest that is of the first importance. Horses being their chief source of wealth, if the proprietors (some of whom possess more than a thousand) built their habitations nearer to each other, how would they be able to procure nourishment for their numerous studs? The neighbouring pastures must soon be exhausted, and it would be necessary to send multitudes of them to a considerable distance; but how many inconveniences would result in consequence of the negligence or dishonesty of the keepers.'

Having arrived at a village, named Moundoukann, our author was obliged to stop a day to refresh the horses. He here parted with Messrs. Hall and Loftsoff, and set off at break of day. The weakness of the horses again rendered a halt necessary, in a place where many voracious bears were prowling about. The following description explains the nature of these halts.

"Having fixed upon the spot, the horses were eased of their burthens and permitted to graze at liberty. Fires were then kindled at equal distances round our little camp, and at the entrance of my tent I repeatedly discharged my musket, being assured that the report and smell of the powder would terrify and drive away the bears. At break of day our horses are assembled if any of them were dispersed they came at the cry of my Yakouts, who possess the same talent in this respect as the Koriacs with their rein deer."

The principal food of the Yakouts who attended our traveller, he says, was a kind of thick frumenty, made of rye meal and water, into which, after it is taken off the fire, they pour VOL. III. 2 M