50 STELLER'S JOURNAL 



culty reached the top, where I discovered that the east side was 

 steep as a wall and that it was impossible to proceed farther. I 

 therefore turned south in the hope of getting to the other side 

 of the island in order to follow the beach there to the channel 

 and thus investigate my theory regarding the existence there of 

 a river and harbor. However, as I descended the mountain, 

 which was covered with a thick and dark forest, without finding 

 any trace of a path, I saw that I could not get through here. 

 Considering at the same time that it would be impossible for 

 my cossack to find me, also that I was too far away from the 

 others in case something should happen, and that it might be 

 impossible for me to return before nightfall, not to mention 

 other dangers, which I should not have feared had I had the 

 least assistance of companions, I climbed the mountain again 

 and looked once more sorrowfully at the barrier to my investiga- 

 tions, with real regret over the action of those who had in their 

 hands the direction of such important matters, for which never- 

 theless all of them had let themselves be rewarded with money 

 and honors. 



When I was once more on the top of the mountain and turned 

 my eyes towards the mainland to take a good look at least at 

 that country on which I was not vouchsafed to employ my en- 

 deavors more fruitfully, I noticed smoke some versts away^^ 

 ascending from a charming hill covered with spruce forest, so 

 that I could now entertain the certain hope of meeting with 

 people and learning from them the data I needed for a com- 

 plete report. For that reason I returned in great haste and went 

 back, loaded with my collections, to the place where I had landed. 

 Through the men who were just ready to hurry back to the ship 

 in the boat I informed the Captain Commander and asked him 

 for the small yawl and a few men for a couple of hours. Dead 

 tired, I made in the meantime descriptions on the beach of the 

 rarer plants which I was afraid might wither and was delighted 

 to be able to test out the excellent water for tea. 



93 The MS reads "one verst away"; according to this version the 

 location of the smoke must perforce still have been on Kayak Island. 



