ourselves much pleasure from the history of this extraordinary man, which he probably would have been induced to relate to strangers, who might perhaps be of some little service to him, but who could have no inducement to take advantage from any thing he might say to do him an injury.  No one here knew the cause of his banishment, but they took it for granted that it must have been for something very atrocious, particularly as two or three commanders of Kamtschatka have endeavoured to get him recalled since the present empress’s reign; but far from succeeding in this, they have not been even able to get the place of his banishment changed.  He told us that for twenty years he had not tasted bread, nor had been allowed subsistence of any kind whatsoever; but that during this period he had lived among the Kamtschadales on what his own activity and toil in the chase had furnished:  That afterward he had a small pension granted; and that, since Major Behm came to the command, his situation had been, infinitely mended.  The notice that worthy man had taken of him, and his having often invited him to become his guest, had been the occasion of others following his example; besides which, he had been the means of getting his pension increased to one hundred roubles a year, which is the common pay of an ensign in all parts of the empress’s dominions, except in this province, where the pay of all the officers is double.  Major Behm told us that he had obtained permission to take him to Okotzk, which was to be the place of his residence in future; but that he should leave him behind for the present, on an idea that he might, on our return to the bay, be useful to us as an interpreter.[37]

Having given orders to the first lieutenants of both ships, to let the rigging have such a repair as the supply of stores we had lately received would permit, we set out on our hunting party, under the direction of the corporal of the Kamtschadales, intending, before we began to look for our game, to proceed straight to the head of Behm’s Harbour.  It is an inlet on the west side of the bay, (which we had named after that officer, from its being a favourite place of his, and having been surveyed by himself,) and is called by the natives Tareinska.

In our way toward this harbour we met the Toion of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in a canoe, with his wife and two children, and another Kamtschadale.  He had killed two seals upon a round island, that lies in the entrance of the harbour, with which, and a great quantity of berries that he had gathered, he was returning home.  As the wind had veered to the S.W., we now changed our route by his advice; and, instead of going up the harbour, directed our course to the northward, toward a pool of water that lies near the mouth of the river Paratounca, and which was a known haunt of the bears.  We had scarce landed, when unfortunately the wind changed to the eastward, and a second time destroyed all hopes of