February 7th, 1873, Petropavlovsk, Cook Strait. 2300 hours.

Once the longboat was safely hoisted on-board, the Petropavlovsk hoisted her sails, and with a stiff evening breeze, made good progress back through the Cook Strait towards Oamaru Bay where they would wait three days before returning to rendezvous with their men. Captain Butackov, 1st Officer Denisov, and the Marine Sergeant were in the captain's stateroom discussing the unprovoked shooting of the two civilians ...