772 UNITED STATES COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY. 



tracings of this chart and briof abstracts of his report were sent out as matters of news, as the 

 custom then was, and one of these sketches was published by the Jesuit father Du Hakle as an 

 appendix to his monumental work on the history and geography of China. All the copies, even of 

 this simple sketch on a very small scale, which were printed before 1743 were more or less imper- 

 fect, but what seems to be a complete rendering of it appears in Campbell's edition of Harris's 

 collection of voyages in 1748. This was a small engraving on copper measuring about 12-5 by 32-0 

 centimetres ou the neat lines. After Bering's arrival in St. Petersburg it is probable that a gen- 

 eral recomputation and revision of his data was made, and we are informed by Lauridsen that the 

 charts (which we may regard as official and final) were prepared at Moscow iu 1731. These were 

 much more elaborate and detailed charts, with ethnological, topographic, hydrographic, and mag- 

 netic details upon them which are entirely wautiug in the earlier maps. This map, though a 

 number of copies must have been seut out, was never engraved or published. Other geographers 

 may aud probably did use data compiled from it, but the map, as a whole, never appeared in print. 

 The remarkable results of the great Siberian expedition, of which Bering was the executive officer, 

 may have drawn attention away from the earlier work. Whatever the reason, until now, this 

 document so interesting from its beariug on the geographical history of America and the progress 

 of discovery, and not without attractions for the student of terrestrial magnetism, is now for the 

 first time presented to the public. 



The title, enshrined in a fine ornamental escutcheon, reads in translation : 



Geographic chart from Tobolsk to the Chukchi [Cape], made during the Siberian Expedition under the command of Fleet- 

 Captain [a folauk space]. 



The blank space with which this inscription terminates was intended to receive the autograph 

 of Bering, which for some reason was not appended ; though, in at least one of the other copies 

 known, it is present. 



This copy was evidently prepared for use in Sweden. The Russian words and names are 

 (rather badly) transliterated into their supposed phonetic equivalents in Roman or Italic letters. 

 Under explanatory remarks, thus transliterated, is a rendering of them in archaic Swedish. 



At the northwestern angle of Chukchi-land is a legend stating that " this region is called Shela- 

 gin's." Shelagin was the Chukchi leader, who, shortly after Bering's expedition in 1730, defeated 

 the Russian forces in a pitched battle and killed Shestakoff, their commander. Shelagin's name is 

 retained in modern maps by the northernmost point of Siberia east from the Kolyma Kiver, Cape 

 Shelaginski, sometimes shortened to Shelagskoi. 



The northern coast of Chukchi-land has a note to the effect that " This land is put down from 

 older charts and information," so that for the erroneous extension northward of a part of it neither 

 Bering nor Miiller are blamable. 



The high range of mountains along the eastern shore of Kamchatka carries the following note : 

 "On these mountains the snows lie in summer and winter, and from them there are violent squalls 

 or gusts of wind." 



On the northern part of Kamchatka peninsula is written, "Here live tributary Kamchadals 

 speaking several dialects." 



In the northern part of the Okhotsk Sea, beginning at the river Okhota, it is stated, " From 

 this river around to the river Krutogorova is put down from older charts and information." In the 

 southwestern part of the same sea, " This coast is according to older maps." 



At Cape Lopatka, here called Osuoi (which is a corruption of Osernoi in reference to the lake 

 Oserjust behind it; or, more probably, of Uzhnoi, meaning southern), it is noted this is the "south- 

 ern point of the land of Kamchatka." 



Elsewhere on the map are phrases evidently derived from Bering's Report, as near Okhotsk, 

 " Hereabouts live the tributary reindeer Tunguses," and " These hereabouts are Lamuts." Further 

 west "From the river Vitim and on the banks of the rivers [eastward | beyond live the so-cfJIed 

 Yakuts and Tunguses, who pay tribute to the Russian Crown." 



The whereabouts and religions state of various other tribes are indicated by similar inscrip- 

 tions at various points on the western part of the map. 



This map measures 51 by 20£ inches between the neat lines. It is in black aud white, the 

 mountains washed in, the only color being small green trees as a conventional sign for wooded 



