LANDFALL: SEMIDI ISLANDS 63 



they, with other rare collections, were lost during the disastrous 

 stranding of the vessel in November, Towards evening we 

 weighed anchor, passed by the island, and went out to sea in a 

 westerly direction. 



On August 3^3^ the mainland once more came into sight in 

 latitude 56° and we saw it in NNW^W about fourteen miles 

 from us, yet uncommonly distinct, owing to the high, snow- 

 covered mountains.132 With an easterly wind we headed south 

 because on the west the land was in our way. In fact we found 

 ourselves, as it were, in a bay, since to the west and north we 

 had the mainland and on the east the island under the lee of 

 which we stood on August 2. 



* On August 4, going on the southerly course, we finally sighted 

 also between south and west, about two or three miles from us, 

 many high, large, and wooded islands,^^^ gQ ^hat we were hemmed 

 in by land all around. Wherever we wanted to get out there was 

 land in the way, but the winds, which at this time and until 

 August 9 were mostly east or southeast and could have advanced 

 us several hundred miles on the straight course to Kamchatka, 

 were now utilized fruitlessly in tacking up and down. 



During all this time (until the 9th) ^^^ we saw large numbers of 

 hair seals, sea otters, fur seals, sea lions (Phoca ursina and 

 leonina), dolphins, and storm fishes.^35 Qn this occasion as well 



131 The MS has in addition "towards noon." This sighting of land 

 is the same as that recorded in the log book on August 4 just after midday 

 (Vol. I, p. 113). This and other references indicate that Steller's time 

 reckoning is according to civil time. 



132 Mt. Chiginagak (see Vol. i, p. 113, footnote 57) and others at the 

 head of Chiginagak Bay (57° N. and 156%° W.; see Vol. i, PL I). 



* What follows from here to August 1 1 had to be taken from a Russian 

 translation of this journal, because a whole sheet was missing in the 

 original. — P. [On this point, see the Preface, p. viii, above; see also 

 Pallas' footnote, between footnotes 248 and 249, below.] 



133 Semidi Islands (see Vol. i, p. 113, footnote 58). 



13* Instead of "(until the 9th)," which is probably an interpolation by 

 Pallas or the Russian translator and is less plausible, the MS reads 

 "that we were near land or surrounded by it." 



135 The published text has "Delphine und Sturmfische," the MS "See- 



