44 ACCOUNTOFTHE 



tributary to Ruffia. The mouth of the river is from 

 fixty to eighty yards broad, from three to four fathoms 

 deep, and abounds in fifh. From thence they put again 

 to fea, and after having beat about for fome time, they 

 siipvreck up. ut length reached Beering's Ifland. Here they lay at 



on Beering's 



Ifland. anchor from the 15th of September to the 30th of Oc- 



tober, when a violent ftorm blowing right from the fea, 

 drove the veflel upon the rocks, and daflied her to pieces. 

 The crew however were faved : and now they looked 

 out for the remains of Beering's wreck, in order to em- 

 ploy the materials for the conftru6ling of a boat. They 

 found indeed fome remaining materials, but almoft en- 

 tirely rotten, and the iron-work corroded with ruft. 

 Having fele6ted however the beft cables, and what iron- 

 work was immediately neceflary, and collected 

 drift-wood during the winter, they built with great dif- 

 ficulty a fmall boat, whofe keel was only feventeen Ruf- 

 lian ells and an half long, and which they named Capiton. 

 In this they put to fea, and failed in fearch of an un- 

 known ifland, which they thought they faw lying 

 North-eaft ; but finding themfelves miflaken, they 

 tacked about, and flood far Copper Ifland : from 

 thence they failed to Kamtchatka, where they arrived at 

 the time above-mentioned. 



The new con(lru6ted vefTel was granted in property to 

 Ivan Shilkin as fome compenfation for his lofles, and 

 with the privilege of employing it in a future expedition 



to 



