766 UNITED STATES COAST AND GEODETIC SURVKY. 



agaiu. As the day was the Gneco-Russiau festival of tbc Holy Cross, Bering gave that name to 

 the bay in which they were, and culled the river Bolshoia (Great) River.* 



August 2. — Calm overcast weather continued until 8 p. m. The depth was 58 fathoms, muddy 

 bottom. At 8 a moderate breeze sprang up and at midnight land was visible to the ENE., 5 

 miles distant. The depth here was 12 to 14 fathoms, stony bottom. At noon the latitude was 

 observed to be 62° 25'. 



August 3. — Weather dark and wind moderate. [Bering during two days had endeavored to 

 find a harbor conveniently situated to a stream so that a supply of fresh water could be obtained, 

 keeping the vessel under sail ; but it appears that he did not succeed in his design and gradually 

 reached the southeast poiut of entrance to the Bay.] Nothing noteworthy occurred this day. 



August 4. — Overcast weather and moderate airs. Beyond the southeast point of entrance to 

 Holy Cross Bay the vessel sailed parallel to a high rocky coast and made 36 miles to the ESE. 

 The depth was about 12 fathoms, gravelly bottom. 



August 5, 1728. — Calm and gloomy weather. The course and shore continued about the 

 same. Nothing of importance occurred. 



August 6. — Moderate breeze and cloudy weather. From 1 to 9 o'clock careful watch was 

 kept for any watering place, the stock on board having become reduced to a single cask. At 6 

 o'clock they approached high rocky mountains extending to the northward like a high wall. At 

 a valley between the mountains a small bay was discovered and anchorage had in 12 fathoms 

 gravel. In honor of the church festival the bay was named Preobrazhenia, or Transfiguration 

 Bay. 



August 7. — At noon Chaplin was sent with 9 or 10 men to bring fresh water and sketch the 

 shore line. From a small mountain stream fed by the snow on the peaks they obtained 22 casks 

 of water. They also found an empty hut, which appeared to have been recently occupied by 

 Chukchi. In many places foot paths were noted. By seven the sketch of the bay was done [but 

 no copy of it is now discoverable]. 



August 8. — "Wind moderate, weather cloudy. At noon weighed auchor and proceeded SE. by 

 S. along the coast, which continued high and rocky. At 9 o'clock a bay was observed, which 

 extended to the NNE. with a width of about 9 miles. At 7 o'clock a. m. a canoe was seen pad- 

 dling toward the ship, containing 8 men. There were on the ship two Kariak interpreters, who 

 were directed to address the people in the canoe. The natives said they were Chukchi, and 

 inquired whence aud why the vessel came. Captain Bering told the interpreters to ask the 

 natives to come to the vessel. After a good deal of delay one of the men at last came swimming 

 to the vessel on inflated sealskins. The Chukchi said that many of their nation lived aloug the 

 coast, and that they had heard of the Russians a long time ago. Being asked where the Anadyr 

 River was, they replied a long way to the westward. On a fair day, at a narrow cape not far from 

 there, the Chukchi said an island would be visible near the coast. Receiving a small gift from 

 Captain Bering the native returned to his canoe. The interpreters asked him to persuade his 

 companions to come up near the vessel. They approached for a short time, then made off again. 

 The interpreters said that there was much difference between the Kariak dialect and that of these 

 Chukchi, so that they were not able to get from them all the information that would have been 

 desirable. The Chukchi canoe was made of skins. The latitude of the place where they saw these 

 Chukchis was 64° 41'. 



August 9. — Calm, cloudy weather. They were all day getting round the Chukchi Cape, and 

 sailed only 35 miles on various courses. Two observations gave the variation of the compass as 

 20° 38' and 20° 54' easterly, respectively. The latitude was observed at noon to be 64° 10'. 



Atigust 10. — Calm, clear weather. All this day working round the Chukchi Cape. Though 

 02 miles were sailed on various courses, only S miles of latitude were gained, and at noon the lati- 

 tude was 64° 18'. 



"Bergli, from platting Bering's track, came to the conclusion that the Holy Cross Bay of Bering was the gulf 

 which lies west and northwest from Cape Bering, and that tho Bolshoia River was that which enters the sea at 

 Rudder Bay. This is misrepresented on Lauridsen's so-called reproduction of Bergh's map. Without the original 

 log hook it is impossible to test this theory, but it is certainly more in accordance with some of the facts now known 

 than the supposition that Bering entered the shallow estuary now known as Holy Cross Bay, although the latter is 

 represented on Bering's chart. 



