1741.] Bering's voyage to America. 131 



and naturalist of the ship, which was first published, in the original 

 German, by Professor Pallas, in 1795. Before that year, all that 

 was known on the subject was derived from a meagre and incorrect 

 abstract of the same journal, in Muller's collections of Russian 

 history. Steller is by no means precise on points of navigation 

 and geography, in consequence of which very few spots described 

 by him can now be identified, although the general course of the 

 voyage may be ascertained. 



From Steller's journal, we learn that Bering, after parting with 

 Tchirikof, sailed south-eastward, as far as the 46th degree of lati- 

 tude ; and, not reaching America, he then altered his course to the 

 north-east, in which he continued until the 18th of July, when land 

 was seen ahead, nearly under the 60th parallel of latitude. The 

 point first descried by the Russians was a mountain of such extra- 

 ordinary height, as to be visible at the distance of more than eighty 

 miles : on advancing towards it, other peaks, and then ridges, 

 appeared, stretching along the coast, and into the interior, to the 

 utmost limits of the view ; and, on entering a narrow passage, 

 between the main land and an island, where they anchored on the 

 20th, they perceived a strong current of discolored water issuing 

 from it, which convinced them that a large river emptied into the 

 sea in its vicinity. From these indications of the extensiveness of 

 the territory, together with its geographical position, they concluded 

 that they had, at length, reached the American continent ; and the 

 officers thereupon entreated their commander to pursue the dis- 

 covery towards the south-east, in which direction the coast trended. 

 But Bering was then enfeebled in mind, as well as in body, by 

 severe illness, and was anxious to return to Kamtchatka ; in conse- 

 quence of which, he resisted their entreaties, and, after a supply of 

 water had been obtained from the island, they set sail for the west. 

 None of the crew were allowed to go on the main land, lest they 

 should be cut off by savages. On the island were found several 

 huts, which seemed to have been recently abandoned, and various 

 implements of fishing, hunting, and cooking, similar to those used 

 by the Kamtchatkans ; of the natives, however, not one was seen. 



According to Steller, the name of Cape St. JElias was, much to 

 his discontent, bestowed on this island, or some other in its vicinity, 

 because it was reached on the day of St. Elias, agreeably to the 

 Russian calendar. The old accounts of the expedition, however, 

 state that Bering honored with the name of that saint the lofty 

 mountain which had first attracted his attention ; and, under this 



