1779. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 209 



On the 11th they had heavy gales from the north- 

 east, which obliged both the ships to strike yards and 

 topmasts ; but in the afternoon, the weather being 

 more moderate, and the ice having drifted away as 

 far as the mouth of the harbour of St. Peter and St. 

 Paul, they warped close to the shore for the greater 

 convenience of watering and wooding, and again 

 moored as before, the town bearing north half west, 

 half a mile distant, and the mouth of the bay shut in 

 by the southernmost point of Rakowina harbour, 

 south. 



The next day, a party was sent on shore to cut 

 wood, but made little progress on account of the 

 snow, which still covered the ground. A convenient 

 spot was cleared away abreast of the ships, where 

 there was a fine run of water, and a tent being erected 

 for the cooper, the empty casks were landed, and the 

 sail-makers sent on shore. 



On the 15th, the beach being clear of ice, the 

 people were sent to haul the seine, and caught an 

 abundant supply of fine flat fish for both the ships' 

 companies. Indeed from this time, during the whole 

 of our stay in the harbour, we were absolutely over- 

 powered with the quantities of fish which came in 

 from every quarter. The Toions both of this town 

 and of Paratounca, a village in the neighbourhood, 

 had received orders from Major Behm to employ all 

 the Kamtschadales in our service, so that we fre- 

 quently could not take into the ships the presents 

 that were sent us. They consisted in general of flat 

 fish, cod, trout, and herring. These last, which were 

 in their full perfection, and of a delicious flavour, 

 were exceedingly abundant in this bay. The Dis- 

 covery's people surrounded at one time so great a 

 quantity in their seine, that they were obliged to 

 throw a vast number out, lest the net should be 

 broken to pieces; and the cargo they landed was 

 afterward so plentiful, that besides a sufficient store 

 for immediate use, they filled as many casks as they 



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