This article aims at questioning the widely accepted view that Ivan Goncharov’s narrative «Frigate Pallas» is a truthful account of his tour around the world. «Frigate Pallas» should not be used as a “document”, as Goncharov himself did not treat his narrative as non-fiction. More to the point, the very structure of the author’s choice (letters to friends) let Goncharov communicate an ideological message, which needs to be carefully and scrupulously deciphered.