31
The Sailors’ Song
In early May the Constantine and Nicholas put to sea. In parting, the Nicholas saluted Butakov’s broad pennant with seven gun shots. The Constantine responded with the same salute — and the ships passed clear of each other, the Nicholas heading along the eastern coast to chart it in detail, and the Constantine to the north, skirting from the west the numerous islands stretching off the eastern coast.
Though difficult and dangerous, the voyage was in other respects boring and monotonous. The eastern shores offered no colorful islands, cliffs or inlets whatsoever. The islands were low and sandy, at times only slightly showing above the water. Extremely dangerous sandbanks surrounded them on all sides and stretched far out into the sea in long treacherous tongues barel
