774 UNITED STATES COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY. 



seen by anyone who bad seen tbe living animal itself. As it shows the forked tail, the question 

 in regard to its shape is thereby settled beyond controversy. There are also two fur seals very 

 well portrayed on the chart, and the fact that these are drawn with remarkable fidelity to nature 

 allows one to infer that the portrait of the sea cow is not less faithful. 



The examination of tho chart with regard to its geographical features suggests an answer to 

 several questions which have hitherto been in controversy owing to the manner in which the 

 charts of the voyage have been confused together. 



In the first place, if this chart had been published separately, the confusion as to Bering's 

 first anchorage on the American coast need never have arisen. Kaye Island, with Cape Martin 

 opposite, in Controllers Bay, are perfectly recognizable. This was long ago determined to be the 

 case by Sokoloff, who published in the Journal of the Russian Bydrographic Department the 

 sketch chart made by Khitroff, Waxel's mate, of the island and harbor. But this publication is a 

 rare and almost inaccessible book and the information was slow in spreading. 



The expedition was prevented by fog or darkness from observing the passage north of the 

 Kadiak group, but a cape which is probably Cape Greville is represented by Waxel, and though 

 not named on this chart is likely to be that named Hermogenes by the expedition. The identifica- 

 tion of Cape St. Hermogenes with Marmot Island made by Cook receives no confirmation from this 

 chart. 



The fictitious island of St. Stephen is absent from Waxel's chart, but the banks northeast from 

 Chirikoff (Ukainok or FoggyJ Island are detailed with many soundings, and the identification of 

 Foggy (Tumannoi or on this chart Tomano) Island with that now called Chirikoff Island is com- 

 plete and can not be reasonably questioned any longer. The Semidi islands are in their proper 

 place with Aghiyuk Island and Chiginagak Volcano northward from them. In this matter Soko- 

 loff was right, as usual, in his judgment of the question. 



The Shumagin islands have been identified correctly from the beginning. This chart shows that 

 the anchorages of the St. Peter were between Nagai and Little Koniushi, and that the unfortunate 

 seaman for whom the group was named was probably buried on the eastern side of Nagai Thence 

 westward is a long gap until we reach the vicinity of the mountain named on the chart St. John. 

 Here the positions are so wild and the islands so little characteristic that a guess is all that can be 

 hazarded. The general circumstances suggest that this might be the high peak (about 6,000 feet) 

 on the north end of Adakh Island. The "high snow-capped island" named by the expedition 

 St. Marciau would then probably be the island of Tanaga ; it could not be the island of Amchitka, as 

 alleged by Lauridsen, since that is low, flat, and without any peaks. Taking the relative positions 

 into account it is not improbable that the island next laid down, under the name of St. Stephen, or 

 St. Stepan, is intended for Semisopochnoi, which is high and has several islets near it. St. Abraham, 

 the last of the Aleutians seen by them, is probably Kyska, the only island in that part of the chain 

 with a smaller island close to its northeastern shore. The latitude of the vessel observed that day 

 was 52° 31', which is conformable with this supposition. The identification of this with the Semi- 

 chilow, rocky, islets is absurd, and would not have been made by anyone familiar with the islands. 



Bering Island and its surroundings are depicted in a manner to cause astonishment. There 

 are several nonexistent islets shown, and the largest, which may be meant for Copper Island, is 

 altogether out of place, yet the party were more than six months on Bering Island. The want of 

 discipline consequent on the death of the commander, and the quarrels and illness among the 

 officers, are probably responsible for the character of this part of the map. 



[ have assumed that the party on the St. Peter did not see anything of the Nearer islands, 

 Attn, Agattu, etc. They appear, however, to have been seen by Chirikoff; and the attempt to 

 identify what was seen by one party with different things seen by the other party has resulted iu 

 the confusion of Muller's and other charts based on this ill-judged conglomeration. 



If the log books of the two vessels could be published verbatim many of these interesting his- 

 torical problems might, by the aid of modern charts, be brought to a satisfactory solution. As it 

 is, however, one must be satisfied with adding something to the stock of accessible information, 

 and with the hope that the remainder will be brought to light at some future time. 



