246 HISTORY OF KAMSCHATKA. [chap. 



east, in the hope of discovering the land said to haxe Ijeen sighted 

 by Gama, but on reaching the 46th parallel of latitude without 

 result, it was resolved to steer due east for the American coast. 

 It had been arranged that the ships should not part company, but 

 on June 20th heavy weather and fog came on, and they became 

 separated. It was in vain that Bering cruised in search of his 

 companion : he had been driven too far to the north, and though 

 he again returned to the 45th parallel, his efforts were unsuccessful. 

 The fjreat navicjator and his old comrade and lieutenant were 

 destined never to meet again. 



After their separation both ships continued their easterly 

 course, and on July 18th Bering sighted the American coast in 

 Lat. 58° 28' N. Three days previously Tschirikov had achieved 

 a similar success one hundred and fifty miles farther south. 

 Both occupied themselves in tracing the coast northwards, as had 

 lieen agreed on previous to their departure from Avatcha, but 

 Bering was Ijefore long much embarrassed Ijy finding that the land 

 led to the south-west for an apparently interminable distance. His 

 search for the fabulous land of Gama was the indirect cause of the 

 disasters that ultimately befell him. He had become embayed in 

 the great gulf lietween Sitka and Kodiak Island, instead of passing 

 to the northward of the Aleutian chain and striking the American 

 coast far to the west at the entrance of the straits now known by 

 his name ; and the constant south-westerly gales, to the full force of 

 which his vessel was exposed, rendered his position one of the 

 greatest peril. The numerous rocks and islands and the dangerous 

 coast under the lee increased their anxieties, and in the month of 

 August scur^-y broke out among the crew. Bering himself became 

 early affected with the malady, and the condition of the invalids 

 was aggravated by bad water. Throughout August they beat 

 steadily to the west and south, encountering head winds without 

 intermission, and on the 30th of that month they reached and 

 landed upon the Schumagin Islands, which were named after the 

 first of the crew who perished from the disease that was ere long 



