BEEING'S GKEAT northern EXPEDITIOIf. 103 



In the harbor and on the Sea of Okhotsk there was 

 now quite a respectable fleet of eight or nine ships, 

 all built by Bering. The Arctic coasts had been 

 charted through his efforts. Spangberg had with great 

 success completed his task, and had been sent by 

 Bering to St. Petersburg to render a report. Bering's 

 own force, which consisted of 1G6 men, besides 80 

 engaged in transporting, was now collected in Okhotsk. 

 The astronomical department under La Croyere and 

 the scientist Steller also arrived, and finally Bering 

 had the satisfaction of seeing his worst enemy removed. 

 In August, 1740, Pissarjel! was discharged, and poor 

 Antoni Devier, first a cabin boy, then successively aid- 

 de-camp, general, and chief of police in St. Petersburg 

 — one of Peter the Great's most trusted companions 

 in arms, but banished through the hatred of Men- 

 shikoff — became his successor as harbor-master in 

 Okhotsk.* 



In the middle of August the packet-boats, the 

 galley Okhotsk, and a double sloop containing the 

 scientists were ready to sail for Kamchatka. Then 

 Spangberg quite unexpectedly arrived. On his way 

 home he had received a counter order. The authori- 

 ties in St. Petersburg commanded him to repeat the 

 expedition to Japan. This gave Bering some extra 

 work in the way of letters and orders, so that the 

 vessels under Bering's and Chirikoff's commands did 

 not leave port until the 8th of September. They 

 were supplied with provisions for tAventy months, and 

 their temporary destination was Avacha Bay on the 



* Note 46. 



