3S4 DISCOVERIES OF 176^2. 



to which tliey gave the name of J5er/r Islands. 

 Having passed between those islands and the 

 main, and the season being far advanced, Shalau- 

 rof ran his vessel into one of the mouths of the 

 Kovyma, wdiere he wintered, and procured great 

 plenty of wild rein-deer, sahiion and trout. 



The mouth of the Kovvma was not free from 

 ice before the 21st July, 176Q, when Shalaurof 

 again put to sea, and stood to the eastward. He 

 soon found that he had not only much ice to 

 contend with, but also a current setting to the 

 westward. On the 19th August the ship was 

 near the shore, surrounded and hemmed in by 

 islands of ice. He endeavoured for several days 

 to regain the open sea, which was observed to be 

 much less clogged with ice, but was forced down 

 towards the coast by large floating masses setting 

 in that direction. He succeeded, however, in get- 

 ting clear of it, and again stood to the N. E. in 

 order to double Shelatskoi Noss, the latitude of 

 which is about 71^ but contrary winds and the 

 lateness of the season obliged him to search for 

 some place to pass the winter in. He accordingly 

 stood to the southward into a deep bay on the 

 western side of Shelatskoi Noss, near the island 

 of Sabedei, where he observed some huts of the 

 Tschutski, but the inhabitants fled on his ap- 

 proach. 



Finding no place here proper for his purpose, he 

 again stood out to sea on the 8th September; and,. 



