i62 STELLER'S JOURNAL 



The second main effort consisted in transportation of wood, 

 which was regarded as one of the biggest and hardest tasks, since 

 except for the low willow shrubs^^s not a tree was to be found on 

 the whole island, while the driftwood thrown out by the sea, not 

 too common at that, was buried under the snow, sometimes an 

 arshin,384 sometimes a fathom deep. That which was found in 

 the neighborhood had been gathered early for building the huts 

 and for fuel ; in December we were already obliged to drag it in 

 from a distance of four versts, in January and February from 

 about ten versts, ^^^ and finally in March even from fifteen to 

 sixteen versts. In April, however, when the snow settled ^^e 

 this labor came to a sudden stop, because not only did enough 

 driftwood come in sight near by, but from the breaking up of the 



new-fangled [schemes] when the men had become disgusted, in order to 

 accomplish the double purpose: (i) [to get] the money and the furs of 

 the men; (2) by this vile familiarity to bring the crew to forget the old 

 general hate and former bitterness. In the meantime the gambling pas- 

 sion got the upper hand to such an extent that nobody paid much atten- 

 tion to our delivery, the building of the vessel progressed sleepily, many 

 necessary materials and objects in the vessel were ruined, having been 

 left in the water, such as compasses and the general journal itself, regard- 

 ing which [I] had made so many admonitions and received so many mar- 

 velous answers, so that our delivery might perhaps not have come to 

 pass during the present year, if a few upright petty officers had not with 

 all their might insisted on the total abolition of the gambling, which, 

 when it took place in June, at once brought about an entirely different 

 aspect of affairs." 



There then follows in the MS a long description of the sea otter. In the 

 present work this forms the part of Appendix A under that heading (pp. 

 214-222). In the version published by Pallas it forms part of the Descrip- 

 tion of Bering Island which he published twelve years earlier than the 

 journal in Neue Ntrdische Beytrdge, Vol. 2, 1781, pp. 255-301 (the de- 

 scription of the sea otter is on pp. 279-286). 



383 At least five species of willow (Salix) occur on the island. The one 

 here referred to forms low thickets in suitable localities. The species is 

 Salix arctica Pallas, recorded under various names, such as 5. pallasii, S. 

 crassijulis, and 5. diplodiciya. (S) 



384 28 inches. 



385 The MS has: "from six to ten versts." 



38« The MS has in addition: "and disappeared from the beach." 



