L 279 ■ ] 

 XLV. Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



RUSSIAN VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 



Extract of a Letter from Captain Krusenstern to the Aca- 

 demician Schulelt. Dated Peter and St. Paul's Harbour, 

 June 8, 1805. 



We have now happily terminated our voyage to Japan ; 

 the day before yesterday 1 anchored here. Upon the 7th of 

 September 1804, we sailed from Kamtschatka. The late- 

 ness of the season induced me to think of nothing else 

 than landing; the ambassador as soon as possible in Nangar 

 sacki, and at last we descried the coast of Japan. A violent 

 storm drove us off the shore. We regained it after its fury had 

 abated ; but as we were approaching the land we were again 

 assailed by a furious whirlwind when close in with the 

 shore. A miracle alone saved our lives, which was a sud- 

 den alteration of the wind. I sailed through Van Diemen's 

 Straits, because they are so differently laid down in the 

 English and French charts, both of which we found equally 

 faulty. These Straits I caused to be laid down in our 

 charts with such accuracy that nothing more remains to be 

 done on that subject. We measured at least 1000 angles. 

 We found five islands in Van Diemen's Straits; and it is 

 scarcly credible how inaccurate all the charts of this part of 

 Japan are. Upon the 8th of December we anchored in 

 Nangasacki, where we remained until the 1 8th of April, 

 1805. I enjoyed great repose for these seven months, and 

 did not misspend my time. To ascertain the longitude of 

 Nangasacki by the moon's distance was the first object of 

 myself and Dr. Horner. Each of us measured more than 500 

 distances. The situation of Nangasacki, which has been 

 known for these 200 years, was ascertained by us to be ex- 

 actly 230° 8' west from Greenwich, the latitude 32° 44' 50". 

 The months of October, November, and December 

 were very agreeable; the weather was mild, and never stormy. 

 With January the winter commenced : the thermometer fell 

 Often to the freezing point ; it snowed also at intervals, but 



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