22 GVOZDEV'S VOYAGE 



that subject which tended more and more to confirm him in the 

 belief that such a bolshaya zemlya really existed. During the 

 winter of 1 731-1732 Pavlutski sent word to the officers of the 

 St. Gabriel who were with the ship at Lower Kamchatka Post to 

 bring him supplies to the Anadyr in the spring and after that go 

 in search of the land opposite East Cape.^ When the time came 

 for sailing only one of the officers, Michael Spiridonovich Gvozdev 

 was physically fit for duty, and he took command of the ship and 

 set the course for the bolshaya zemlya. His achievement did not 

 impress Pavlutski very much, and it was not until several years 

 later that he was made to write out his report, which, with un- 

 important sections omitted, runs as follows:^ 



In May, 1732, we received orders from Major Pavlutski, who was at 

 the time at the Anadyr fort, to go aboard the St. Gabriel with the pilot and 

 underpilot and sail around Kamchatka Cape to the mouth of the Anadyr 

 and opposite Anadyrski Cape to what is known as the "large country," 

 examine and count the islands there, and gather tribute from the inhabi- 

 tants. On July 23 we left Kamchatka River, and four days later Kam- 

 chatka Cape was doubled. We came to Anadyrski Cape August 3 and 

 from there went to the islands to collect tribute. Moshkov told us of 

 an island Bering had discovered, and we sailed about in order to find 

 it. By this maneuvering we reached the southern part of Chukotski 

 Cape, where, on August 5, we anchored three versts from shore. It was 

 calm, and I went on land to examine the coast and fetch drinking water. 

 Close to the shore we observed a small fresh stream into which we pulled. 

 The country seemed uninhabited; but not far from where we stood was 

 a herd of deer, numbering about 150 or more, guarded by two men, who 

 ran away on seeing us. I killed two of the deer, filled two barrels with 

 water, and went on board. 



The next day two Chukchi came toward the ship in two baidaras but 

 would not approach near enough so that we could enter into conversa- 

 tion with them. When they had looked at us for a time they pulled 

 away. On the morrow I, with nine men, went to the spot from which 

 I had seen the natives issue the day before, but all that we found there 

 were two huts of earth and whalebone. As we started back we caught 



2 In the "Lettre d'un officier de la marine russienne," I753 (see bibliography), the 

 statement is made that Pavlutski ordered Gvozdev to bring the provisions left by 

 Bering to the country of the Chukchi, whom Pavlutski was fighting. Gvozdev 

 could not find Pavlutski and therefore started back and accidentally. ran into the 

 American coast. 



3 Archives of the Ministry of Marine: Papers of Count Chernishev, 1762-1768, 

 No. 367. See also Zapiski Hydrogr. Depart., Vol. 9. PP- 88-103, St. Petersburg, 1851. 



