DECISION TO RETURN 67 



enter at once upon the return voyage to Avacha without making 

 any attempt to search for the direction in which the mainland 

 might extend. I confess that this council and what was decided 

 in it seemed highly remarkable to me. The immediate return 

 was decided upon, and the report "^ to that effect was signed by 

 all the officers down to the boatswain's mate, though, as usual, 

 not by me; consequently they were intent upon Avacha, how- 

 ever, the straight course was not taken, but we sailed along the 

 land, which of course amounted to following the American coast. 

 On account of the contrary west winds the intention was to 

 attempt advancing in a more westerly direction by tacking be- 

 tween south and north on the 53rd parallel; the mainland could 

 be suspected at least in latitude 54°, since it had been seen in 

 latitude 55°.^^^ It could also be clearly inferred from the con- 



strangely acting animal's make-up and supplied these from his frag- 

 mentary recollection of Gesner? 



In this connection it is interesting to note that the "large American 

 seaweed" with which this remarkable creature played is apparently 

 the one named Ulva priapus by Gmelin (S. G. Gmelin, Historia fucorum, 

 St. Petersburg, 1768, p. 231) from a description furnished by Steller, who 

 found it "about the Kamchatkan coasts" (ad littora Kamtchatica 

 Stellerus invenit). Pallas, in the footnote, also refers to Gmelin's "His- 

 toria fucorum." Gmelin's description refers to a fragment of the species 

 formerly generally known as Nereocystis lutkeanus Mertens, which accord- 

 ing to Saunders {Proc. Washington Acad, of Set., Vol. 3, 1901, p. 431, 

 PI. 58; idem, Harriman Alaska Expedition, Vol. 5, 1904, p. 195) should 

 be recognized as Nereocystis priapus (Gmelin). The floating fragment 

 here described by Steller was evidently quite similar to the one de- 

 scribed by Gmelin and credited to Kamchatka. Is it significant that in 

 the latter description there is no reference to its having been observed in 

 American waters? It should be noted in justice to Steller that the species 

 is abundant on the American side from Puget Sound to the Shumagin 

 Islands. (S) 



1" For the text of this report see Vol. i, p. 120. 



i*< Steller's meaning appears more clearly when the MS version of the 

 passage from "consequently they were intent" down to this point is 

 restored. The MS reads: "And they did not want to give up their old 

 plan and, in view of the contrary west winds, go several degrees farther 

 south but [persisted in wanting to go] to Avacha along the Avacha 



