110 THE VOYAGE OF THE JE ANNETTE. 



ing its waters into a bay, and the chart showing such a 

 river flowing into KoUutchin Bay, I decided to stand 

 into the opening, which we accordingly did at 5.40, the 

 land being hidden at times by passing snow-squalls. 



At seven a. m. made out what looked like houses on 

 the ridge of a small hill back from the beach, which I 

 now^ saw we could not get to on account of the bay ice 

 fringing it for about two miles in extent, — our funnel- 

 shaped opening closing up at that distance from the 

 shore. A little later I could make out several houses 

 quite plainly from my post in the crow's-nest, and at 

 eight o'clock, having reached the edge of the ice, 

 stopped the ship and sent in Lieutenant Chipp, Mas- 

 ter Danenhower, Mr. Dunbar, and Alexey in the whale- 

 boat, for one more effort to make sure that Norden- 

 skjold had passed south in safety. During the absence 

 of the whaleboat kept the engines ready to move the 

 ship, and backed when it was necessary to keep the 

 ship off the ice. At ten, got a sounding in fifteen 

 fathoms, coarse gravel, and lowered the dredge with 

 good results. Mr. Newcomb also shot and added to 

 his collection some large gulls. The whaleboat could 

 be seen from the ship aloft, winding her way in and 

 among narrow lanes of water, and I watched her anx- 

 iously while Melville handled the ship, until I saw her 

 land and her people mingle with some natives who 

 had come down to the beach to meet the boat. At 

 one P. M. Lieutenant Chipp and party returned, and 

 brought back information wdiich ^vas reliable beyond 

 question. The Vega wintered here, about two miles 

 more to the southward and westward than this native 

 settlement. Chipp was walked along the beach and 

 the place pointed out to him. As well as could be 

 made out (for no one spoke or understood English on 



