AT ST. MK-HAKL'S. 59 



bor dipping their flags as a parting salute, the Rodgers 

 headed for St. Michael's, Alaska, and came to anchor toward 

 night, August 3d, under the shelter of Stuart Island, in Nor- 

 ton Sound, to wait for daylight, as the wind was blowing a 

 gale, and the sea was running high. 



"The next morning," wrote the Herald correspondent, 

 " we got under way and steamed slowly on our course, in a 

 dismal rain and fog. The lead was kept going constantly, 

 the quartermaster calling in a dreary, monotonous voice the 

 depth of water found at each cast of the lead. Again we 

 were compelled to drop anchor on account of shallow water 

 and the concealment of the few known landmarks under the 

 mist. About eleven o'clock the fog lifted a little, and we 

 could see the small settlement of St. Michael's about seven 

 miles distant, and shortly afterward dropped anchor beyond 

 the point of land that forms a shelter for the harbor, a few 

 antiquated iron guns bellowing forth a salute. The fort of 

 St. Michael's, as it is called, is an enclosure of dwellings and 

 warehouses, the interstices iillod \vith a high wooden fence, 

 that was originally erected as a protection against the as- 

 saults of hostile Indians. The fence of the present day is, 

 however, maintained rather as a shelter against the wind 

 than to guard against savages." 



From St. Michael's Lieutenant Berry crossed over to 

 Plover Bay, Siberia, and then proceeded north to St. Law- 

 rence Bay, where he found the Strelock anchored in the 

 harbor. After taking on board two Cliukches, as hunters 

 and dog-drivers, the Rodgers again started north August 

 19th, accompanied by the Russian corvette. The next day 

 was stormy, and the wind blowing so hard that it was diffi- 

 cult to make any headway against it. The Strelock was 

 seen working in shore, but was soon lost sight of, and was 

 seen no more by the crew of the Rodgers. 



The following morning was clear and pleasant, and Cape 

 Serdze Kainen soon appeared in view. " When we came 

 near the land," says the correspondent, " a skin boat filled 

 with Cliukches came alongside for the purpose of trading. 



