64 BEHRING. 



moment after, they had five fathoms of water. A sec- 

 ond anchor was thrown out, and the cable again parted. 

 They had no third anchor ready. While they were pre- 

 paring to let go another, a huge wave lifted the vessel 

 over the reef. In an instant she lay in calm water. 

 The anchor was put out, and she was safely moored ID 

 four fathoms and a half, with a sandy bottom, and only 

 about three hundred fathoms from the shore. The next 

 morning they discovered that, by a good providence, 

 they had been led to the only spot where it was pos- 

 sible they could have been carried over the ridge of 

 rocks, and that twenty fathoms* distance right or left 

 of the place high rocks rose out of the sea, against 

 which they must have perished during the darkness of 

 the night. 



Winter was now come. The crew, worn down with 

 fatigue, reposed until mid-day, and then the boat was 

 lowered. On the 6th of November, the -second in 

 command, Mr. Waxall, landed. They found the coun- 

 try barren, and covered with snow. A clear stream of 

 excellent water, not yet frozen, ran down from the 

 mountains to the shore. No trees, or even shrubs, 

 were visible. Firewood might be obtained from what 

 the sea had drifted on the land, but it must be collected 

 from under the snow. Hut or shelter there was none ; 

 but they discovered near the banks of a torrent some 

 deep hollows in the sand, which they prepared to clear 

 out, and cover over with the ship's sails, so as to make 

 a shelter, until they could construct cabins of wood. It 

 was accordingly resolved to take the sick on shore the 

 next day, as soon as places were prepared for them. 



On the 8th of November they were landed. Some 

 died on being brought up into the air from below, oth- 

 ers in the boat, and some upon getting ashore. The 

 bodies of the dead were instantly attacked by foxes, 



