280 LOSS OF THE ST. PETER. 
pears that three days hefore, Tschirikoff had made the same 
coast only about two degrees more to the southward. Beerings, 
who was in want of water, endeavored to approach this coast, 
whose lofty snow-clad mountains presented a gloomy aspect. 
Having only light variable wind, they could not reach it till the 
20th, \vhen they came to an anchor near an island of conside- 
rable magnitude, at no great distance from a continent. A pro- 
jecting point of land was denominated Cape St. Elias, and 
another, which was afterward discovered, received the name 
of St. Hermogene. Between them was a gulf, where they 
hoped to find shelter, in case the St. Peter should be obliged 
by circumstances to seek a port. 
Having cast anchor, the commodore sent ChitrofF, the mas- 
ter, with a few armed men, to survey the gulf, while another 
shallop was despatched in quest of water. Steller went on 
board the latter, and in an island on which they landed he 
found several empty huts, whence it was conjectured that the 
natives of the continent visited it for the purpose of fishing. 
These huts were of wood, wainscotted wdth planks well join- 
ed together. They here found a box of poplar wood, a hollow 
ball of earth containing a small pebble, as if to serve for a 
child's plaything, and a whetstone, on which were visible 
the marks of copper knives that had recently been whetted 
on it. 
Steller made several observations in the huts. He found, 
among other things, a cellar containing smoked salmon and a 
sweet herb, ready dressed for eating, in the same manner as 
vegetables are prepared in Kamtschatka. There were like- 
wise cords, grindstones, and utensils of various kinds. Ha- 
ving approached a place w^here the Americans had been din- 
ing, they betook themselves to flight as soon as they perceived 
him. He there found a dart, and an instrument for producing 
fire, of the same form as those made use of in Kamtschatka. 
It consists of a board perforated in several places i the end of 
a stick being put into one of these holes, the other extremity 
is turned backward and forward between the palms of the 
hands till, with the rapidity of the motion, the board takes 
fire, on which the sparks are received upon some matter tha* 
is easily inflamed. 
At a considerable distance was seen a hill covered with 
wood, where a fire was observed, and hence it was conjec- 
tured that the savages had retired thither. To this spot Stel- 
ler did not think it prudent to venture, but contented himself 
with collecting plants in the vicinity. Of these he carried on 
