188 FROM KAMTSCHATKA 



Beering's Island, our situation was uncertain, ac- 

 cording to the chart ; but, according to the ship's 

 reckoning, we were twenty miles from the S.W. 

 point of St. Lawrence Island. At three o'clock, 

 when the fog dispersed for a moment in the north, 

 we observed the summit of a high mountain to the 

 N.E. G" ; but, directly after its appearance, the fog 

 became again impenetrable, and we were obliged 

 to remain in this vexatious situation, plying the 

 whole day and night off the coast: the lead showed 

 us the way. The barometer, though the weather 

 was so bad, remained very high. 



In spite of all the care that w^as taken in the 

 building of the Rurick, to prevent the entrance of 

 rats, which occasion so much damage in a sea 

 voyage, I was informed to-day, that one of these 

 guests had made its appearance on deck. A chase 

 was immediately commenced, and we killed three 

 of them, which had probably found their way into 

 the ship in the harbour of St. Peter and St. Paul, 

 which is over-run by these vermin. As such ani- 

 mals were' never seen there before the arrival of 

 the Nadeshda, I have, probably, had the successors 

 of my former trav^elling-companions destroyed. 



June 27th. The fog continued undiminished : 

 my patience was put to a hard trial. I had several 

 times observed, that when the barometer stands 

 high, there is the finest weather on shore ; while, 

 about a mile from the coast, the thickest fog pre- 

 vails. I therefore resolved to steer directly up to 

 the shore, and the attempt succeeded. The lead 



