RUSSIANDISCOVERIES. 53 



crew were fortunately faved ; and means were found to 

 get afliore the Ihip's tackle, ammunition, guns, and the 

 remains of the wreck ; the provifions, however, were 

 moftly fpoiled. Here they were expofed to a variety of 

 misfortunes; three of them were drowned on the 15th 

 of October, as they were going to hunt ; others aim oft 

 perifhed with hunger, having no nourifliment but fraall 

 fliell-fifli and roots. On the 29th of December great part 

 of the fliip's tackle, and all the wood, which they had 

 colleiled from the wreck, was waflied away during an 

 high fea. Notvvithftanding their diftreffes, they conti- 

 nued their hunting parties, and caught 103 fea-otters^ 

 together with 1390 blue foxes. 



In fpring they put to fea for Beering's Ifland in two J,l'i^^'^^„^.^ 

 baidars, carrying with them all the ammunition, fire- lijlrj?'''" 

 arms, and remaining tackle. Having reached that ifland, 

 they found the fmall vefTel Abraham, under the care of 

 the four failors who had been left alhore by the crew of 

 Trapefnikoff's fliip : but as that veiTel was not large 

 enough to contain the whole number, together with their 

 cargo of furs, they ftaid vmtil Sere-branikoff's and Tolftyk's 

 veflels arrived. Thefe t<Dok in eleven of the crev/, with 

 their part of the furs. Twelve remained at Beering's 

 llland, where they killed great numbers of arilic foxes, 

 and returned to Kamtchatka in the Abraham, excepting 

 two, who joined Shilkin's crew. 



* See the preceding chapter. 



C H A P. 



