328 VOYAGE TO THE 



chap. Petropaulski is situated, we connected the capes at 

 v — -v-^ its extremities with the port and intermediate ob- 

 1826. jects, by which it appears that Cape Gavarea has 

 hitherto been erroneously placed with regard to 

 Chepoonski Noss ; but I shall not here interrupt the 

 narrative by the insertion of the particulars of the 

 operations. 



At day -light the following morning Chepoonski 

 Noss was seen N. 19° W., and in the afternoon of 

 the next day high land was discerned from the mast- 

 head in the direction of Krotnoi Mountain. This 

 was the last view we had of Kamschatka, as a thick 

 fog came on, and attended us to Beering's Island. 



At day-light on the 10th a high rock was seen 

 about nine miles off, and shortly afterwards Beering's 

 Island appeared through the fog. When we had 

 reached close in with the land the mist partially dis- 

 persed, and exposed to our view a moderately high 

 island armed with rocky points. The snow rested in 

 ridges upon the hills, but the lower parts of the 

 island were quite bare, and presented a green mossy 

 appearance, without a single shrub to relieve its 

 monotony. Its dreary aspect, associated with the 

 recollection of the catastrophe that befel Beering 

 and his shipmates, who were cast upon its shores on 

 the approach of winter with their own resources 

 exhausted, produced an involuntary shudder. The 

 bay in which this catastrophe occurred is on the 

 north side of the island, on a part of the coast which 

 fortunately afforded fresh water, and abounded in 

 stone foxes, sea otters, and moor-hens ; and where 

 there was a quantity of drift wood washed upon the 

 shore, which served for the construction of huts ; 

 but notwithstanding these resources, the commander 



