The advice of Munich was instantly adopted.  A boat was sent off conveying an officer to take command of the fortress, while, in the meantime, two yachts were got ready for the departure of the tzar and his party.  Peter and his affrighted court hastened on board, continually looking over their shoulders fearing to catch a sight of the troops of the queen, whose appearance they every moment apprehended.  But the energetic Catharine had anticipated this movement, and her emissaries had already gained the soldiers of the garrison, and were in possession of Cronstadt.

As the two yachts, which conveyed Peter and his party, entered the harbor, they found the garrison, under arms, lining the coast.  The cannons were leveled, the matches lighted, and the moment the foremost yacht, which contained the emperor, cast anchor, a sentinel cried out,

“Who comes there?”

“The emperor,” was the answer from the yacht.

“There is no emperor,” the sentinel replied.

Peter III. started forward upon the deck, and, throwing back his cloak, exhibited the badges of his order, exclaiming,

“What! do you not know me?”

“No!” cried a thousand voices; “we know of no emperor.  Long live the Empress Catharine II.”

They then threatened immediately to sink the yacht unless the tzar retired.

The heroic Munich urged the tzar to an act of courage of which he was totally incapable.

“Let us leap on shore,” said he; “none will dare to fire on you, and Cronstadt will still be your majesty’s.”

But Peter, in dismay, fled into the cabin, hid himself among his women, and ordered the cable instantly to be cut, and the yacht to be pulled out to sea by the oars.  They were soon beyond the reach of the guns.  It was now night, serene and beautiful; the sea was smooth as glass, and the stars shone with unusual splendor in the clear sky.  The poltroon monarch of all the Russias had not yet ventured upon deck, but was trembling in his cabin, surrounded by his dismayed mistresses, when the helmsman entered the cabin and said to the tzar,

“Sire, to what port is it your majesty’s pleasure that I should take the vessel?”

Peter gazed, for a moment, in consternation and bewilderment, and then sent for Munich.

“Field marshal,” said he, “I perceive that I was too late in following your advice.  You see to what extremities I am reduced.  Tell me, I beseech you, what I ought to do.”

About two hundred miles from where they were, directly down the Gulf of Finland, was the city of Revel, one of the naval depots of Russia.  A large squadron of ships of war was riding at anchor there.  Munich, as prompt in council as he was energetic in action, replied,

“Proceed immediately to join the squadron at Revel.  There take a ship, and go on to Pomerania.[17] Put yourself at the head of your army, return to Russia, and I promise you that in six weeks Petersburg and all the rest of the empire will be in subjection to you.”