CHAPTER XVI. 



BERING'S PLACE OF LANDING ON THE AMERICAN COAST. 

 — CAPTAIN cooky's UNCERTAINTY. — THE QUESTION 

 DISCUSSED AND DEFINITELY SETTLED. 



IN geographical literature complete uncertainty in 

 regard to Bering's island St. Elias and its situation 

 off the American coast still prevails. This uncertainty is 

 due partly to Miiller and partly to Cook. Miiller is 

 inaccurate; in fact, confused. He says that Bering saw 

 the American continent in a latitude of 58° 28', and at 

 a difference of longitude from Avacha of 50° (in reality, 

 58° 14' and 56° 30'), but he gives neither the latitude 

 nor longitude of the island of St. Elias, which is the 

 important point, and on his map of 1758, where he goes 

 into details more than in his description, he marked on 

 latitude 58° 28': ^' Coast discovered hy Bermg in 17Jfl" 

 On such vague reports nothing can be based. In the 

 ship's journal, however, which Miiller in all likelihood 

 must have seen, the latitude of the island is entered as 

 59° 40', and the longitude, according to the ship's 

 calculations, as 48° 50' east of Avacha. But as Bering's 

 calculations, on account of the strong current, which in 

 these waters flows at a rate of twenty miles, had an 

 error of about 8°, the longitude becomes 56° 30' east of 

 Avacha, and at this astronomical point, approximately 



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