Project Gutenberg 2021-03-11 Public domain in the USA. 144 Grant, James 1822 1887 The Secret Dispatch; or, The Adventures of Captain Balgonie Al Haines "The Secret Dispatch; or, The Adventures of Captain Balgonie" by James Grant is a historical novel written in the late 19th century. This tale intertwines a narrative of intrigue and adventure set against the backdrop of 18th-century Russia, focusing on Captain Charlie Balgonie, a young Scottish officer maneuvering through the complexities of imperial service under Catherine the Great. The story hints at themes of loyalty, ambition, and the clash of personal desires with political machinations. The opening of this novel introduces Captain Balgonie, who finds himself lost and desperate on the banks of the frigid Louga River in Western Russia. Disoriented and cold, he debates whether to attempt a dangerous river crossing, revealing both his bravery and his precarious situation. He is on an important mission carrying a secret dispatch for the Empress, yet he is being misled by his treacherous guide, Corporal Podatchkine. After a perilous journey, Balgonie succeeds in crossing the river and arrives at a distant castle, where the narrative hints at impending alliances, romantic entanglements, and political conspiracies that will shape his fate. The mix of adventure and burgeoning romance with Natalie Mierowna, a captivating character in the Count's household, sets the stage for further developments in the unfolding story. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 57.3 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. en Russia -- History -- 1801-1917 -- Fiction PR Text Category: Historical Novels Category: Adventure Category: Novels 374084 2025-07-25T13:34:28.584049 text/html 355465 2024-10-18T11:49:38 text/html 278433 2025-07-25T13:34:33.343987 application/epub+zip 282838 2025-07-25T13:34:29.267049 application/epub+zip 213804 2025-07-25T13:34:28.929048 application/epub+zip 397736 2025-07-25T13:34:36.521024 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 383036 2025-07-25T13:34:32.964992 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 314295 2022-09-29T07:23:11.257633 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 349012 2025-07-25T13:34:28.047039 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 329148 2024-10-18T11:49:38 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 16429 2025-07-25T13:34:36.670977 application/rdf+xml 25178 2025-07-25T13:34:29.015047 image/jpeg 4232 2025-07-25T13:34:28.972047 image/jpeg 447751 2025-07-25T13:34:28.622042 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia