SEARCH FOR DE GAMA LAND 313 



until we met with success. If land was discovered either on the course 

 SE by E or E by N, we determined to coast alongside of it from east to 

 north or north to west, depending on its position, but not to follow it 

 up if it stretched between south and east. In the latter case, we were 

 to leave it and sail east until we sighted [other] land and when found 

 to keep it in view likewise while going northerly, to the 65th parallel 

 or at least as far as, God willing, time would permit. If we reached the 

 65th parallel in good season we planned to sail due west to the Chukchi 

 country and determine the distance between America and Asia and when 

 we had done that to steer for this port. If head winds should prevent 

 us from keeping on the above-mentioned rhumb, we agreed to keep as 

 close to it as possible until v/ith God's help we discovered land and exam- 

 ined it in accordance with the instructions of the Captain Commander. 

 In planning the voyage we had to keep in mind that we were to be back 

 in this harbor towards the end of September. Although we discussed 

 the suggestion of the Admiralty College, made before we left St. Peters- 

 burg, to go first to the Chukchi country and from there towards America 

 (for the distance must be short), we did not act upon it because the season 

 was too early and there was too much ice in the neighborhood of the 

 Chukchi land, which is situated near latitude 65° N. 



Therefore we concluded to follow the course first mentioned, and on 

 May 29 we sailed out ot the Harbor of St. Peter and St. Paul [Petropav- 

 lovsk] and anchored in the roadstead of Avacha Bay and there remained, 

 on account of head winds, until June 4, when the wind died down and 

 we put out to sea and kept the course agreed upon for Juan de Gama 

 Land. By June 12 we had come as far as the 46th parallel without 

 finding the said land, and it became quite evident that it did not exist, 

 since we had sailed over the region where it was supposed to be. On June 

 13 we changed the course in order to find America and sailed E by N, 

 or as near to it as the winds permitted. On June 20 because of the con- 

 tinuous fogs, which are common in this region, and the stormy winds 

 (which obliged us to heave to under the mizzensail) the Captain Com- 

 mander and I became separated. During this bad weather I searched 

 for him as long a time as he allowed for such a purpose but without 

 success. From this time on I did not again see his ship and was, there- 

 fore, compelled to continue the voyage alone on the course laid out. 



On July 15 (having, from the mouth of Avacha Bay, where we had put 

 up a lighthouse named Vaua, come east 61° 51' of longitude, according 

 to our reckoning, distance on the rhumb E by N 6° 57' E, 2,178 knots or 

 Italian miles, or 3,793 Russian versts, counting 104^2 versts to a degree 

 — in returning we made 73° 30' of longitude, distance on the rhumb E by 

 N 7° 38' E, 2,589 knots, or 4,509 Russian versts — ) we discovered land 

 [Cape Addington] in latitude 55° 36' north [noon position]. This land 

 was without doubt the American coast, because, according to the map 



