66 BEHRING. HIS DEATH. 



cers of the ship, who were obliged to be on deck to 

 look into everything. The captain, alone, of all the 

 officers, died. His age and temperament inclined him 

 to inactivity. He took his friends, at last, for his ene- 

 mies, and some could not come into his sight, on that 

 account, towards the close of his illness. Two of the 

 officers took the disease by remaining on board in tho 

 bad air of the hold, after the crew had quitted the ship, 

 but they both recovered. 



Behring died on the 8th of December, 1741, on 

 the island which now bears his name. He had a great 

 passion for voyages and travels in his youth, and had 

 seen many parts of the world, and a great deal of ser- 

 vice. In a previous voyage he had sailed through the 

 strait that bears his name. He had served under Peter 

 the Great; was made lieutenant in 1707, and captain- 

 lieutenant in 1710. He was thus a seaman from his 

 cradle, and was chosen to command the expedition 

 from Kamtschatka on account of his previous services. 

 He left his name a record to the end of time in the 

 straits that separate Asia and America. His death was 

 singular. He was almost buried before he breathed his 

 last sigh. His men placed him in the most commodi- 

 ous spot, the day after the disembarkation of the sick 

 commenced. He was borne with great care into a sort 

 of tent, upon or rather in the sand, and as well secured 

 as possible. Every day he detached the loose sand 

 from the sides of the place where he lay, so that he 

 Boon covered his feet with it. Those who attended him 

 cleared it away, but at last he would not suffer them to 

 doit any more. He showed anger if it were attempted, 

 and by degrees had so accumulated it about him that 

 when he died he was half covered. They buried him 

 near the spot ; and the island is his monument, bearing 

 his name in the charts of all nations. 



