START ON RETURN VOYAGE 297 



mained close to the place until evening, hoping that our boats would 

 come out. Towards evening, however, we had to keep away from shore 

 because of the danger. 



At the fourth hour in the afternoon we came about and steered for 

 shore where we observed a fire, also two boats which came out and, 

 after keeping close to land, put back and disappeared. This is the last 

 of boats and signals that we saw, except on the spot where we formerly 

 observed fire we now had smoke. 



Ninth hour in the afternoon. Because of the night we took a reef in 

 the topsails. There were neither signals nor fires on shore. We hung out 

 a lantern on the ensign staff so that, if, against all hope, our boats should 

 come, they could find us. 



This day we began again our reckoning. The bay into which the boats 

 were sent is in latitude 57 50' N, longitude 58 54'. 



July 26, 1741 



Latitude by observation 5 8° 21' 5"; from Vaua, longitude 57° 7', 

 rhumb N8o°42'E, distance 1,954 knots. 



At the fourth hour in the afternoon we saw large quantities of grass, 

 the kind that grows near the beach. 



At noon we saw high, snow-covered mountains 13 on the land ending in 

 the north, bearing NJ^E, 40 knots. 



July 27, 1741 



Latitude by observation 58 37' 3"; from Vaua, longitude 54 11' 4", 

 rhumb N8o°23'E, distance 1,862 knots. 



At the first hour in the afternoon Captain Chirikov, Lieutenants 

 Chikhachev and Vrange, Navigators Michael Plautin and Elagin came 

 to the following decision, which they put in writing: Owing to the fact 

 that there were no small boats by the help of which the shore could be 

 examined and water brought aboard (of which there were only 45 casks 

 left) it would be better to go straight to the Harbor of St. Peter and "St. 

 Paul, in Avacha Bay in eastern Kamchatka. 



Ninth hour. Wind strong; cloudy, rainy. Ordered the crew to catch 

 the rain water from the sails for drinking purposes, for even before this 

 the men made use of it without being obliged to do so, and no harm 

 came to them. Considering the distance we were from port the amount 

 of water on hand was far too little, and therefore I commanded that it 

 should be rationed out to the crew. 



July 28, 1 741 

 Latitude by observation 58 54'; from Vaua, longitude 52 57', rhumb 

 N78°47'E, distance 1,815 knots. 



13 Mt. Fairweather. 



