Petersburg. 7 mo. 10.—­On the 30th of the Sixth Month I left my peaceful home at Stamford Hill for my Russian journey.  At our kind friend Isabel Casson’s at Hull I met my young companion William Rasche.  We were affectionately cared for by dear I. C. and her daughter, and she and several other friends saw us on board the steamer.  It is a fine ship, well ventilated, with good sleeping accommodation and provisions:  the captain is a kind, religious man.

On First-day evening, the captain invited us to the ship’s service—­an invitation which we gladly embraced.  When he had finished, I addressed the company, much to my own comfort:  great seriousness prevailed.  After I had relieved my mind, the captain closed with a few sweet and feeling words.  When the occasion was over, he came to me and expressed his thankfulness that I had been enabled to strengthen his hands by throwing in a word of exhortation.  He said that sometimes, when he had felt indisposed and unprepared for his religious duty, he had given himself to a quiet dependence on the Lord, and had been mercifully helped, to the benefit of his own soul, in endeavoring to do his duty to others.

There is great uncertainty (he says in a letter written during the voyage), how we shall find things at Petersburg, and whether they will permit us to proceed to the South; but this I must leave.  Whatever way it may please Providence to turn the matter, as it regards myself I believe I shall be relieved from Russia in having made this last attempt.

They arrived at Petersburg on the 9th of the Seventh Month, after a safe and agreeable passage of seven days.

Before we reached Cronstadt, to quote from J.Y.’s Diary, we encountered a strong gale, so that the officers from the guardship, who came to see that all was in order, had hard work to get on board.  There were eighteen Russian sailors with oars, yet they could not draw the boat, and our steamer was obliged to throw ropes and haul her in.  The sight of Cronstadt was formidable; for more than two miles in and near the harbor there was a line of ships of war.  At Cronstadt we had to be put on board a smaller steamer, which caused us much detention.  At the custom-house all passed off well; they were more civil and less strict in their examination than in England.  The Russian sailors look very unbright; they are not active in managing a boat.  They not unfrequently received a few strokes from the fist of the helmsman, or a rope’s-end, either of which they took with that unconcerned composure which showed they were accustomed to it.  We are located at the hotel of H. Spink, an intelligent Yorkshireman; his wife is very kind and attentive.