THE VARIOUS EXPEDITIONS. 141 



was the volcano St. Elias, which is about 18,000 feet 

 high. Bering had thus succeeded in discover i7ig America 

 from the east. As they had a head wind, they moved very 

 slowly toward the north, and not until the morning of the 

 20th did they cast anchor off the western coast of an 

 island which they called Set. Ilii (St. Elias) in honor of 

 the patron saint of the day. On the same day, Khitroff 

 with fifteen men went, in the ship^s boat, to search for a 

 harbor and to explore the island and its nearest surround- 

 ings. Steller, who had desired to accompany him, was 

 put ashore with the crew that brought fresh water from 

 St. Elias, and endeavored, as well as it was possible in a 

 few hours, to investigate the natural history of the island. 

 Khitroff circumnavigated the island and found various 

 traces of human habitation. Thus, on one of the adjacent 

 islands, a timbered house was found containing a fireplace, 

 a bark basket, a wooden spade, some mussel shells, and a 

 whetstone, which apparently had been used for sharpen- 

 ing copper implements. In an earth-hut another detach- 

 ment had found some smoked fish, a broken arrow, the 

 remains of a fire, and several other things. The coast of 

 the mainland, which was mountainous with snow-capped 

 peaks, was seen at a distance of eight miles. A good har- 

 bor was found on the north side of the large island. All 

 the islands were covered with trees, but these were so low 

 and slender that timber available for yards was not to be 

 found. On his venturesome wanderings here, only now 

 and then accompanied by a Cossack, Steller penetrated 

 these woods, where he discovered a cellar, which con- 

 tained articles of food and various implements. As some 

 of these things were sent on board, Bering, by way of 



