172 STELLER'S JOURNAL 



or other refuge and were already quite desperate, the cossack 

 succeeded finally in finding in a cliff a very wide and spacious 

 cave, which apparently had been caused by a great earthquake. *°^ 

 Loaded with wood and meat we made ourselves at home there 

 and found a safe refuge against all snow and wind w^iich in the 

 future could be of great use in similar cases. We found there not 

 only room enough but also a side cave,^"^ in which we could keep 

 our supplies safe from the thievish ^^^ foxes, and even a chimney 

 formed by Nature, through which the smoke found an outlet 

 through the cracks in the rock, without in the least annoying us 

 in our quarters, which became properly heated from the fire."^ 

 Here we spent, with hearts very thankful to Providence, ^^^ three 

 days in hunting ^^^ ^nd resting alternately, and returned on the 



408 The account in the MS is much more detailed, as follows: "Towards 

 midnight we got such a violent northwest storm with much snow that, 

 without our being able to get under shelter, the cossack soon lay buried 

 covered deep with snow without moving, while I sat in the snow and by 

 constantly smoking tobacco tried to keep myself warm and banish the 

 bitterness of death, and the other two were running incessantly to and 

 fro like true hefnerodromi [couriers, coursers], though one could hardly 

 keep on one's feet because of the wind. As day broke, though hardly to 

 be distinguished from the darkest night, and as my other companions 

 would not let me rest under the snow, I finally got up in order to search, 

 together with them, for a cave and crevice in the rocks. After having 

 wandered about for a long time without having found a refuge we came 

 back full of despair and half dead. My cossack, who, when I spoke to 

 him, would not [get up], we dug out of the snow by force. We agreed 

 once more to make an attempt in two parties in order to save our lives in 

 the incessant storm. The cossack, more successful in this than we, after 

 half an hour's search found a very wide and spacious cave in a cliff which 

 without doubt had been caused by a great earthquake. After receiving 

 the news we went there with the greatest expectation." 



«" Thus the published version. The MS has amhar, Russian for ware- 

 house, provision chamber. "Side cave" would seem to be Pallas' infer- 

 ence by extension. 



^lo The MS adds: "and malicious." 



411 The MS adds: "and in which we could cook conveniently." 



412 The MS has instead: "Here we revived at once, gave thanks to 

 God, and spent. ..." 



413 The MS has in addition: "as the foxes had devoured our provisions 

 during the storm." 



