QUARREL WITH BERING 37 



would now have demanded a harmonious consideration of what 

 ought to be done, how to utiHze the time and opportunity to the 

 best advantage, what to explore on shore and how to go about it; 

 furthermore, whether, considering the season and the provisions 

 as well as the distance, the following up of the coast should be 

 continued at this late time of the year, or whether we should 

 winter here, or, finally, try the straight way for home. However, 

 all this was not considered worthy the calling of a council, but 

 everyone kept silent and did as he pleased. Only on one point 

 were all unanimous, viz. that we should take fresh water on 

 board, so that I could not help saying that we had come only for 

 the purpose of bringing American water to Asia.* It was agreed, 

 besides, that the small yawl should be used for the transportation 

 of the water, while the larger one should be given to Master 

 Khitrov with a sufficient crew and ammunition in order that he 

 might explore the country, a task for which he possessed the best 

 qualifications. I asked to be sent with Khitrov, since after all 

 he himself did not know everything, but in spite of his making 

 the same request permission was refused. At first an attempt 

 was made to scare me with dreadful tales of murder, to which I 

 answered that I had never been so womanish as to fear danger 

 and that I could not guess why I should not be allowed to go 

 ashore, especially since that was in the line of my principal work, 

 my calling, and my duty and that it was my determination to 

 serve the Crown to the best of my ability in the future, as I had 

 done in the past; moreover, that, if for reprehensible reasons I 

 were not given the permission, I would report this action in the 

 terms it deserved. For this I was called a wild man, who would 

 not let himself be held back from business even when treated to 

 chocolate, which was just then being prepared. Seeing now that 



* It is incomprehensible that there was no thought of a real exploration 

 and taking possession of the land discovered; one might almost conjec- 

 ture that the general instructions issued must have been insufficient, or 

 that in so distant parts all subordination and discipline had vanished. — P. 



[As to the instructions issued, see Vol. i, pp. 29-32, especially the end 

 of Article 6 and Article 13.] 



