Ihadheardanoldarmysurgeonsayawoundinthespinewasinstantdeath。Inowdeterminedtotrytheexperiment，andhadagainrecoursetomyknife，withwhichIstruckthelargestinthebackoftheneck，neartheshoulders，butundergreatapprehensions，notdoubtingbutthecreaturewould，ifhesurvivedthestab，tearmetopieces。
However，Iwasremarkablyfortunate，forhefelldeadatmyfeetwithoutmakingtheleastnoise。Iwasnowresolvedtodemolishthemeveryoneinthesamemanner，whichIaccomplishedwithouttheleastdifficulty;foralthoughtheysawtheircompanionsfall，theyhadnosuspicionofeitherthecauseortheeffect。Whentheyalllaydeadbeforeme，IfeltmyselfasecondSamson，havingslainmythousands。
Tomakeshortofthestory，Iwentbacktotheship，andborrowedthreepartsofthecrewtoassistmeinskinningthem，andcarryingthehamsonboard，whichwedidinafewhours，andloadedtheshipwiththem。Astotheotherpartsoftheanimals，theywerethrownintothesea，thoughIdoubtnotbutthewholewouldeataswellasthelegs，weretheyproperlycured。
AssoonaswereturnedIsentsomeofthehams，inthecaptain’sname，totheLordsofAdmiralty，otherstotheLordsoftheTreasury，sometotheLordMayorandCorporationofLondon，afewtoeachofthetradingcompanies，andtheremaindertomyparticularfriends，fromallofwhomIreceivedwarmthanks;butfromthecityIwashonouredwithsubstantialnotice，viz。，aninvitationtodineatGuildhallannuallyonLordMayor’sday。
Thebear—skinsIsenttotheEmpressofRussia，toclothehermajestyandhercourtinthewinter，forwhichshewrotemealetterofthankswithherownhand，andsentitbyanambassadorextraordinary，invitingmetosharethehonoursofhercrown;butasIneverwasambitiousofroyaldignity，Ideclinedhermajesty’sfavourinthepolitestterms。Thesameambassadorhadorderstowaitandbringmyanswertohermajesty/personally/，uponwhichbusinesshewasabsentaboutthreemonths：hermajesty’sreplyconvincedmeofthestrengthofheraffections，andthedignityofhermind;herlateindispositionwasentirelyowing（asshe，kindcreature！waspleasedtoexpressherselfinalateconversationwiththePrinceDolgoroucki）tomycruelty。WhatthesexseeinmeIcannotconceive，buttheEmpressisnottheonlyfemalesovereignwhohasofferedmeherhand。