In the course of the day I had an opportunity of observing the
watchfulness and penetration of our commandant. A sailing-vessel
was quietly at anchor in a small creek. The commandant, perceiving
it, immediately ordered the steamer to stop, ordered out a boat, and
sent an officer to see what it was doing there. So far everything
had gone correctly; for in Russia, where the limits of every foreign
fly is known, what a whole ship is about, must also be seen to. But
now comes the comical part of the affair. The officer went near the
ship, but did not board it, and did not ask for the ship's papers,
but merely called out to the captain to know what he was about
there? The captain answered that contrary winds had compelled him
to anchor there, and that he waited for a favourable one to sail to
this place and that. This answer satisfied the officer and the
commandant completely. To me it seemed just as if any one was asked
whether he was an honourable man or a rogue, and then trusted to his
honour when he gave himself a good character.
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