UNITED STATES COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY. 769 



more particularly identified. On the first of June their arrangements were complete. Owing to the 

 impression which prevailed in Kamchatka that land existed in the eastward across the sea now 

 known as Bering Sea, a belief which was supported by the statements of the Chukchi and other 

 circumstantial evidence, Bering decided to make an attempt to investigate the matter before return- 

 ing finally to Okhotsk. The following extracts from Chaplin's journal are derived from the publi- 

 cation already drawn upon for the data in relation to the voyage of 1728 : 



June 6, 1729. — Light wind and cloudy weather. Bering sailed from the mouth of the Kam- 

 chatka Biver and, taking his departure from Cape Kamchatka, sailed E. by S. 



June 7, 1729. — Light wind, clear weather, and sea coming from the NNE. No observations were 

 taken this day, but the latitude was calculated to be 55° 37' and the longitude 2° 21' east from Lower 

 Kamchatka. 



June 8. — Gloomy weather and strong wind from the NNW. The vessel lay to under the main- 

 sail all daj-, drifting about five points. At noon the latitude was estimated to be 55° 32' and the 

 longitude 4° 07' east from Lower Kamchatka. 



June 9. — Gloomy weather and strong wind. Bering, sailed 2 miles further on an ESE. course 

 and then tacked and stood SW. by W. Up to this time, on the search for land, in all the run 

 amounted to 114 miles. From the time of abandoning the search to the following noon the run was 

 150 miles. The coast of Kamchatka was seen in the morning. At noon the latitude was observed 

 to be 54° 40'. 



June 10. — Light wind aud cloudy weather. All day the vessel sailed in sight of the coast and 

 at midnight the wind failed entirely, the whole run amounting to only 35 miles. By an amplitude 

 observation the variation of the compass was determined to be 11° 50' to the eastward, and the 

 observed latitude was 54° 07'. 



June 11. — Light wind aud clear weather. The mountains called Kronokakh and Zhupanoff 

 were seen and also the Avatcha volcano. All this day sailed in sight of the land, at a distance of 

 from 6 to 10 miles. By azimuth and amplitude the variation of the compass was found to be 8° 31' 

 and S° 46' easterly, respectively. The observed latitude was 53° 13'. "From this time forward up 

 to the 20th instant," Chaplin observes, "variable currents were observed near the shore ranging 

 between south and west, and offshore between south and east." 



June 12.— Clear weather and light winds. At midnight the wind became high and in the 

 morning it was foggy. Made in all 42 miles sailing in sight of the coast, including 12 miles due to 

 current, to the SE. by E. £ E. 



June 13. — Light wind and thick fog in the morning. The vessel was turned about by the cur- 

 rent on three occasions. The run was 34 miles, including current. 



June 14, 1729. — Gloomy weather with rain and little wind. The current was exceptionally 

 strong and the courses various. The estimated latitude was 51!° 58'. 



June 15. — Moderate wind and dark weather. The vessel drifted most of the time and made 

 about 12 miles on account of the current. 



June 16. — Gloomy weather and light wind. The run was 38 miles, including 8 miles gained by 

 current to the SE. by E. £ E. The weather was so thick that the shore was not visible. The esti- 

 mated latitude was 51° 59'. 



June 11. — Calm, thick weather. The coast was hidden by fog and the run was 27 miles. 



June 18. — Cloudy weather and moderate S W. wind. The vessel stood to the N W . The observed 

 latitude was 52° 14', or 24 miles more northerly than the reckoning. 



June 19.— Fresh wind from the SS W. with rain. The vessel steered N. by E. and at noon saw 

 Zhupanoff Mountain at a distance of 25 miles. 



June 20. — Fresh southerly winds aud dark foggy weather. The vessel stood to the NE. by E., 

 and at noon her latitude was 54° 04'. 



June 21. — Wind moderate or light and thick weather. The run was 20 miles NE. by E., with 

 8 miles westerly current. The estimated latitude was 54° 16'. 



June 22.— Foggy weather, and in the morning light wind, with a heavy sea from the SW., fol- 

 lowed by a strong southerly wind, during which the vessel lay to under bare poles, making a drift 

 of about 4 miles westerly, in all about 8 miles WNW. 

 H. Ex. 80 49 



