178 FROM CONCEPTION BAY 



together, took up a space of twenty-five miles and a 

 half from north to south : their situation is marked 

 on the chart. By a very good observation, we 

 found the latitude of the channel 11° 11' 20" N. ; 

 longitude, according to the chronometer, which 

 exactly agreed with that lately observed by us, 

 190° 9' ^S", The variation of the magnetic needle, 

 11" 18' east. At six o'clock in the evening, we 

 were again in the open sea ; and, with the intention 

 of revisiting these parts in the following year, I 

 now directed my course to the N. N. W. to go to 

 Kamtschatka. It would, indeed, have been more 

 prudent not to have sailed during the night, in this 

 quite unknovvn sea ; but as the necessity of 

 reaching Kamtschatka as soon as possible, obliged 

 us to hasten, we sailed rapidly forwards, under the 

 protection of God. A sailor was constantly obliged 

 to keep watch at the mast-head, who was relieved 

 every hour, and punislied severely if another dis- 

 covered a dangerous object before him. In the 

 night, the watch was removed from the mast-head, 

 to the bowsprit. By these regulations, we could 

 indeed prevent the Rurick from running upon a 

 high-land in the dark ; but rocks, lying under the 

 water, or rising a little above it, could not be 

 avoided, as may be seen by Captain Flinders* voy- 

 age, unless heaven itself graciously watched over 

 us. 



May 29th: latitude 24° 28', longitude 197° ^J9'. 

 Tlie Economical Society, at St. Petersburg, had 

 given me three little boxes of dried meat (called 



