Review of Berings First Expedition, 1725-30. 153 
it is impossible in the absence of Bergh’s original to determine who is 
responsible for the incongruity. An interpolation seems the more likely 
since Beriny himself gives the longitude as 189° 55’ E. Gr.* 
Aug. 12/23. From noon of the 11th to noon of this day, the 
Gabriel sailed sixty-nine miles, but the difference of latitude was 
only 21 miles. The wind was light to fresh and the weather 
overcast (L.). 
Notes.—If the above statement be taken literally with the assumption 
that they were at noon of the 11th in latitude 64° 20’ and E. longitude 
188° from Greenwich, it would give their position for noon of the 12th 
as 64° 49’ and longitude 190° 45’ E. Gr., which does not at all accord with 
the subsequently narrated course, etc. If we proceed on the hypothesis 
that it means that the log recorded 69 miles and that only 29 miles were 
made good (which might easily happen if the polar current were run- 
ning strong on the west side of the strait) and that their course was 
parallel with the Siberian shore in a general way they would have been, 
at noon of August 12th, in latitude 64° 49’ and longitude 188° E. Gr. or 
thereabouts, which agrees very fairly with the known circumstances. 
Aug. 13/24. A fresh breeze and cloudy weather. The Gabriel 
sailed the whole day with no land in sight and the difference in 
latitude was only 78 miles at noon, reckoned from noon of the 
12th. The wind diminished toward night. 
Notes.—On the same hypothesis as to the meaning of ‘‘ difference in 
latitude” as the words are used by Lauridsen, the Gabriel at noon of 
the 13th would have been ten or twelve miles south from East Cape 
and in about latitude 65° 55’. If the words are to be taken literally, as 
a navigator would use them, the Gabriel would have been about fifteen 
miles to the northward and eastward of East Cape, which agrees much 
less with the subsequently detailed circumstances. With the nautical 
day beginning at noon on the 13th according to Lauridsen the weather 
began to be calm and cloudy which would check their progress. 
Aug. 14/25. This is the festival of Saint Demetrius of Africa. 
A current was experienced during this day which was estimated 
to have helped the vessel northward eight miles and three quarters. 
This current ran from south-southeast to north-northwest. From 
noon of the 13th to noon of this day the vessel sailed 29 miles in 
addition to the current drift. At noon the latitude was estimated 
* A glance at Bergh shows that this statement of Lauridsen is simply 
a blunder. Bergh only says they obtained the magnetic variation 
(25° 31’ easterly) by an amplitude observation! Longitude is not men- 
tioned, nor Kamchatka. 
