204 FROM KAMTSCHATKA 



I therefore gave up my plan for this year, and re- 

 solved to proceed in the following year to a more 

 complete examination in little baydares, which I 

 intended to bring with me from the Aleutian 

 islands. At present the loss of time was of too 

 much consequence to me, as the navigation of 

 Beering's Straits continues only for a short time. 

 This bay received the name of Schischmareff, after 

 the only officer that served under me. I will not, 

 however, say that this inlet forms a bay, because, 

 perhaps, it only divides the foreland into several 

 islands. I called the narrow island after our wor- 

 thy vice- admiral, SaritschefF. After having 

 doubled the northern point of SaritschefF Island, 

 on our return to the ship, we perceived two boats, 

 each with ten men, which rowed with all their 

 might, to overtake us, and evidently came from 

 the same place whence the two single baydares 

 had been sent before to reconnoitre our force. One 

 of our boats had got on before, and in the one 

 behind was myself. Lieutenant Schischmareft) and 

 four sailors ; and the Americans, with their light 

 boats soon came up with us. Their savage cries, and 

 many weapons, made their haste look suspicious ; 

 and, in fact, we could scarcely take up our arms, 

 before one of their boats was at our side, and two 

 Americans furiously seized upon ours. With the 

 most piercing cries, and hideous grimaces, they 

 threatened us with their lances, while their second 

 boat was exerting all their strengtii to come to the 



