348 NOTE TO ACCOMPANY THE CHART 



ill that after September 21 he never left the cabin until he was 

 carried ashore when they made port. The only officer not 

 confined to his bed was Ivan Elagin, who although affected by the 

 scurvy would not give up and kept the deck almost continuously. 

 Chirikov, lying in his bed, worked out the sights and the reckon- 

 ing and directed Elagin what courses to steer; when according 

 to their reckoning they had run up their longitude and no land 

 was sighted Chirikov gave directions to keep to the westward 

 close to the 53rd parallel. On October 7 Lieutenant Chikhachev 

 died, and the next day both Lieutenant Plautin and Navigator 

 Vrange passed away. 



RETURN TO PETROPAVLOVSK 



On October 8 they were gladdened by the sight of land, at 

 noon they recognized the familiar outlines of Cape Shipunski, 

 and two days later the St. Paul anchored in Avacha Bay. Pro- 

 fessor de la Croyere died just as the anchor was dropped. 

 Chirikov was very low, but he was immediately taken ashore, 

 where he rallied sufficiently to write his report and resume direc- 

 tion of affairs. He never fully regained his health. Thusended the 

 eventful voyage of the St. Paul. Of her 76 officers and men who 

 sailed from Avacha Harbor June 4 but 54 returned, and all of 

 these were suffering from the scurvy. 



The voyages of Bering and Chirikov are events of great impor- 

 tance. These two navigators crossed the Pacific and discovered 

 the northwestern coast of the American continent at a tremen- 

 dous coot and in the face of untold difficulties; and a seaman 

 reads the details of their struggle with increasing respect and 

 admiration for the men who achieved so great an object with tools 

 so inadequate for the purpose. 



