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〃Ah； your excellency； in a land as fertile as this； and caressed by a climate that would coax life from a stone； there must be an infinite number of aquatic and aerial treasures that will add materially to the scientific lore of Europe。〃
〃Humph！〃 said Rezanov； and moved his shoulder in an uncontrollable gesture of dismissal。 But the spell of the April morning was broken； although the learned doctor was not to be the only offender。
The Golden Gate is but a mile in width and the swift current carried the Juno toward a low prom… ontory from the base of which a shrill cry suddenly ascended。 Rezanov； raising his glass； saw that what he had taken to be a pile of fallen rocks was a fort； and that a group of excited men stood at its gates。 Once more the plenipotentiary on a delicate mission； he ordered the two naval officers sailing the ship to come forward； and retired to the dignified isola… tion of the cabin。
The high…spirited young officers； who would have raised a gay hurrah at the sight of civilized man had it not been for the awe in which they held their chief； saluted the Spaniards formally； then stood in an attitude of extreme respect； the Juno was directly under the guns of the fort。
One of the Spaniards raised a speaking trumpet and shouted：
〃Who are you？〃
No one on the Juno； save Rezanov； could speak a word of Spanish； but the tone of the query was its own interpreter。 The oldest of the lieutenants； through the ship's trumpet； shouted back：
〃The JunoSitkaRussian。〃
The Spanish officer made a peremptory gesture that the ship come to anchor in the shelter given by an immense angle of the mainland； of which the fort's point was the western extreme。 The Rus… sians； as befitted the peaceful nature of their mis… sion； obeyed without delay。 Before their resting place； and among the sand hills a mile from the beach； was a quadrangle of buildings some two hun… dred feet square and surrounded by a wall about fourteen feet high and seven feet thick。 This they knew to be the Presidio。 They saw the officers that had hailed them gallop over the hill behind the fort to the more ambitious enclosure； and； in the square； confer with another group that seemed to be in a corresponding state of excitement。 A few moments later a deputation of officers； accompanied by a priest in the brown habit of the Franciscan order； started on horseback for the beach。 Rezanov or… dered Lieutenant Davidov and Dr。 Langsdorff to the shore as his representatives。
The Spaniards wore the undress uniform of black and scarlet in which they had been surprised； but their peaked straw hats were decorated with cords of gold or silver； the tassels hanging low on the broad brim； their high deer…skin boots were gaily embroidered； and bristled with immense silver spurs。 The commanding officer alone had invested himself with a gala serape； a square of red cloth with a bound and embroidered slit for the head。 Leading the rapid procession； his left hand resting significantly on his sword； he was a fine specimen of the young California grandee； dark and dashing and reckless； lithe of figure； thoroughbred； ardent。 His eyes were sparkling at the prospect of excite… ment； not only had the Russians； by their nefarious appropriation of the northwestern corner of the continent and a recent piratical excursion in pursuit of otter； inspired the Spanish Government with a profound disapproval and mistrust； but a rumor had run up the coast that made every sea…gull look like the herald of a hostile fleet。 This was young Arguello's first taste of command； and life was dull on the northern peninsula； he would have wel… comed a declaration of war。
Davidov and Langsdorff had come to shore in one of the JUNO'S canoes。 The conversation was held in Latin between the two men of learning。
〃Who are you and whence come you？〃 asked the priest。
Langsdorff； who had been severely drilled by the plenipotentiary as to text； replied with a profound bow： 〃We are Russians engaged in completing the circumnavigation of the globe。 It was our inten… tion to go directly to Monterey and present our offi… cial documents； as well as our respects； to your illus… trious Governor； but owing to contrary winds and a resultant scarcity of provisions； we were under the necessity of putting into the nearest harbor。 The Juno is navigated by Lieutenant Davidov and Lieutenant Khovstov； of the Imperial Navy of Rus… sia； by gracious permission associated with the Ma… rine of the Russo…American Company。〃 He paused a moment； and then swept out his trump card with a magnificent flourish： 〃Our expedition is in com… mand of His Excellency； Privy Counsellor and Grand Chamberlain Baron Rezanov； late Ambas… sador to the Court of Japan； Plenipotentiary of the Russo…American Company； Imperial Inspector of the extreme eastern and northwestern American dominions of His Imperial Majesty； Alexander the First； Emperor of all the Russias； whose representa… tives in these waters he is。〃
The Spaniards were properly impressed as the priest translated with the glibness of the original； but Arguello； who announced himself as Com… mandante ad interim of the Presidio of San Fran… cisco during the absence of his father at Monterey； nodded sagely several times； and then held a short conference in Spanish with the interpreter。 The priest turned to the Russians with a smile as diplo… matic as that which Rezanov had drilled upon the ugly ingenuous countenance of his medicine man。
〃Our illustrious Governor； Don Jose Arrillaga； received word from the court of Spain； now quite two years ago； of the sailing in 1803 from Kron… stadt of the ships Nadeshda and Neva； in command of Captain Krusenstern and Captain Lisiansky； the former having on board the illustrious Ambassador to Japan； the Privy Counsellor and Chamberlain de Rezanov。 It was expected that these ships would touch at more than one of His Most Holy Catholic Majesty's vast dominions； and all viceroys and gobernador proprietarios were alike instructed to re… ceive the exalted representatives of the mighty Em… peror of Russia with hospitality and respect。 But we cannot understand why his excellency comes to us so late and in so small a ship； rather than in the state with which he sailed from Europe。〃
〃The explanation is simple； my father。 The original ships； from a variety of circumstances； were； upon our arrival at Kamchatka； at the con… clusion of the embassy to Japan； under the neces… sity of returning at once to Europe。 His Imperial Majesty； Alexander the First； ordered the Cham… berlain and plenipotentiary； the representative of imperial power in the Russo…American possessions； to remove to the Juno for the purpose of visiting the Kurile and Aleutian Islands； Kadiak and the northwestern coast of America。〃 The Tsar had never heard of the Juno； but as Rezanov was prac… tically his august self in these far…away waters； there was enough of truth in this statement to ap… pease the conscience of a subordinate。
The Spaniards were satisfied。 Lieutenant Ar… guello begged that the emissaries would return to the ship and invite the Chamberlain and his party to come at once to the Presidio and do it the honor to partake of the poor hospitality it