TO THE EASTERN OCEAN, &c.                 281
44  ed of Englifhmen, Indians, Arabs, and Chinefe:  in all, 70.
4C  The veffel was built entirely of mahogany, had two malts and
"  twenty-eight fails; was fheathed with copper to the gunnel,
44  and mounted twelve guns.
ic After fupper, Captain Peters with his officers conducted me
" on fhore j but we deferred trading till the arrival of the com-
44 mander of Kamtfhatka, Baron Von Steinheil, who came on
41 the 25th, and adled as interpreter/ fpeaking the French Ian-
44 guage. They bound themfelves to pay duty, according to the
44 claims of government; I gave them a lift of articles wanted
44 here, for their future government; purchafed goods to the
44 amount of 6611 rubles j paid in part 1000 rubles, and gave
44 bills upon Mofco at two months' fight, bearing intereft till paid,
44 at the rate of fix per cent. On the 3d September I took leave
44 of the Englifhmen, who intended to fail the next day. Oa
44 the 8th I arrived with my goods at Bolftieiretfk, where I im-
44 mediately fold the whole for upwards of 10,000 rubJes ia
44 ready money/*
Captain Peters was afterwards wrecked upon Bering's ifland,
and only two of the crew faved (a Portuguefe and a Lafcar).
Thefe travelled with me in the Autumn of 1788 from Ochotfk
to Yakutfk, in their way to St. Peterfburg. The Portuguefe told
me, that Captain Peters wanted to load his fliip with copper,,
which he had a notion that he might colled: at Bering's or Cop-
per ifland. In all probability he was milled by the exaggerated
accounts of the quantities of copper found upon thofe iflands.
Oo                     CHAR