496 AVOYAGETO 



'778- to make them underftand, that we were Englifh, the friends 



Oaober. . 



< — ^ — » and allies of their nation. 



Satorday 10. On the 10th, Lediard returned with three Ruffian feanien, 

 or furriers ; who, with fome others, rciided at Egoochfliac, 

 where they had a dwelling-houfe, fome ftore-houfes, and a 

 floop of about thirty tons burthen. One of thefe men was 

 either Mailer or Mate of this vefTel ; another of them wrote 

 a very good hand, and underftood figures ; and they were 

 all three well behaved intelligent men, and very ready to 

 give me all the information I could defire. But for want of 

 an interpreter, we had fome difficulty to underftand each 

 other. They appeared to have a thorough knowledge of 

 the attempts that had been made by their countrymen to 

 navigate the Frozen Ccean, and of the difcoveries which 

 had been made from Kamtfchatka, by Beering, TfcherikoiT, 

 and Spangcnberg. But they feemed to know no more of 

 Lieutenant Syndo*, or Synd, than his name. Nor had they 

 the lead idea what part of the world Mr. Stcehlin's map re- 

 ferred to, when it was laid before them. When I pointed 

 out Kamtfchatka, and fome other known place?, upon that 

 map, they afl-ied, whether I had feen the iflands there laid 

 down ; and on my anfwering in the negative, one of them 

 put his finger upon a part of this map, where a number of 

 illands arc rcprcfcnted, and faid, that he had cruifcd tliere 

 for land, but never could find any. I then laid before them 

 my own chart; and found that they were firangers to every 

 part of the American coalt, except what Ii<;s oppofitc this 

 illand. Oncot" tlielc men fiid, that he had been with Beef- 

 ing, in his American voyage ; but mufl: then have been very 



♦ Sec the litile th.it is known of Synd's voyage, accompanied with a chart, in Mr. 

 Coxc's RulTian Dilcovcriei--, p. 3C0. 



3 young, 



