THE VAKIOUS EXPEDITIOISTS. 129 



neglected to superintend the transportation, and as a 

 result, much was injured or ruined. Some of these sup- 

 plies arrived too late to be used for the expedition. 

 Bering^'s original plan was to spend two years on this 

 expedition. He was to winter on the American coast, 

 navigate it from 60° N. latitude to Bering Strait, and 

 then return along the coast of Asia. But this had to be 

 abandoned. 



In May, 1741, when the ice broke up, he could 

 supply his ships with frugal, not to say very poor, pro- 

 visions, for only five and a half months. Moreover, 

 his ship^s stores and reserve rigging were both incom- 

 plete and inadequate. Bering's powers of resistance 

 now began to wane. After eight years of incessant 

 trouble and toil, after all the accusations and suspicions 

 he had undergone, he was now forced to face the thought 

 of an unsatisfactory conclusion of his first voyage, at 

 least. Besides, Spangberg^'s fate could not but have a 

 very depressing influence, for it told Bering and his 

 associates that even with the best of results it would 

 hardly be possible to overcome the prejudices of the 

 government authorities or their lack of confidence in 

 the efforts of the new marine service. Undoubtedly it 

 was such thoughts as these that swayed Bering and 

 Chirikoff, when, on the 4th of May, they called the 

 ship's council to consider the prospective voyage (the 

 proceedings are not known). Although both, as well 

 as the best of their officers, were of the opinion that 

 America* was to be sought in a direction east by 

 north from Avacha, and in spite of the fact that they 



* Note 55. 



