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Ajan with my letter to Mahood and the third to me with Mahood's letter, ordering his men to travel night and day, and cordially inviting me should I ever come to Takoutsk, to make of his house my home. It is impossible to act with more promptitude and obligingness, and  you may imagine how glad I was to hear of Mahood's arrival at Ajan.

Capt. Mahood writes a short letter, having just arrived and in time to catch the mail for Takoutsk. He and Lieut. Bush came to Nikolaersk 17 days after leaving Petropavlowsky. Admiral Turnhelm to whom I gave these letters, assisted them a great deal, they travel with an interpreter and their report about the country is satisfactory but the population is exceedingly scarce, consisting of very few settled and wandering Tunguzi.

Mahood has travelled from village Ordskoi (on Orada River, emptying into head of Ordskoi Bay) on the east side of the mountain range.

February 20, 1866.

The inhabitants of Okhotsk (except the Kosak, whom I had sent to meet Mahood) know nothing whatever of a direct route to Ajan, pretending that there are almost insurmountable obstacles to overcome. The Ispravnik, a good man, having been only recently appointed, has but a very imperfect knowledge of the country, he was anxious to start on an inspection tour to