COMPLETION OF THE NEW VESSEL i8i 



the constant efforts and encouragement by Lieutenant Waxel 

 raised the spirit of the men, it came to pass^'^ that in the month 

 of July the vessel, 36 feet long at the keel and 42 feet from stem 

 to stern, *34 stood ready on the stocks as far as the hull was 

 concerned. The remaining time until August 13 was consumed 

 in making rigging, trying out tar from old ropes,"^ and finally 

 also in building ways for launching the vessel. This last caused 

 us great trouble since we were so poorly provided with timber 

 and other material. The wood^^^ was hauled from the farthest 

 parts of the shore; their stability [i. e. of the ways] was secured 

 by placing the cannons on them. In the meantime some built a 

 magazine in which to store the materials to be left behind; 

 others were occupied in erecting an oven and in baking biscuits 

 for the voyage; some overhauled the casks which had to be 

 bound for the voyage with iron hoops and ropes ;"^ some ex- 

 amined the bottom of the bay;''^^ and altogether there was no 

 one who wanted to be idle, because everyone was exceedingly 

 anxious for deliverance from this desert island. ^^^ 



" The MS reads: "it came to pass, as a result of [the work of] many 

 hands, redoubled courage, and the constant efforts and friendly encour- 

 agement of Lieutenant Waxel, that in," etc. 



«* This clause giving dimensions does not occur here in the MS (for its 

 position see, below, footnote 444). The log book under May 6 (Vol. i, 

 p. 234) states that the vessel was to have "a length of 36 feet, a 12-foot 

 beam, and depth of 5 feet 3 inches." These figures in Khitrov's version of 

 the log book are repeated in Yushin's version {ibid., p. 239, footnote 133) • 

 Under August 10, 5 p. m. entry {ibid., p. 240) it is stated that the vessel 

 "measured 36 feet in length, ii feet in beam, 5 feet in depth, and 41 feet 

 from stem to sternpost." 



435 The MS reads: "in making rigging, spars, and masts, in black- 

 smithing, in the toilsome trying out of tar from old ropes." 



436 The MS adds: "for the ways." 



«7 The MS adds: "because this had previously been neglected in 

 Okhotsk." 



438 The log book gives the reason — to find the anchors (entries of July i 

 and July 24; see Vol. i, p. 234). 



"» The MS has in addition: "Although the hope of procuring more 

 otter pelts made some of the men desirous of spending another winter, at 

 the last moment they did not, for shame, want to acknowledge it." 



