176 
TE^ VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
freeboard, when the vessel was loaded, three and a half feet. 
The first voyage took place in June 1716. The voyagers 
began to sail along the coast towards the north-east, but 
an unfavourable wind drove the vessel, almost against the 
will of the seafarers, right across the sea to Kamchatka. 
The first land sighted was a cape which juts out north 
of the river Tigil. Being unacquainted with the coast 
the seafarers hesitated to land. During the delay a change 
of wind took place, whereby the vessel was driven back 
towards the coast of Okotsk. The wind again becoming 
favourable, the vessel was put about and anchored successfully 
in the Tigil. The men who were sent ashore found the 
houses deserted. For the Kamchadales being terrified at the 
large ship had made their escape to the woods. The seafarers 
sailed on along the coast and landed at several places in order 
that they might meet with the inhabitants, but for a long time 
without success^ until at last they fell in with a Kamchadal 
girl, who was collecting edible roots. With her as a guide they 
soon found dwellings, and even Cossacks, who had been sent out 
to collect tribute. They wintered at the river Kompakova. 
During the winter the sea cast up a whale, which had in its 
carcase a harpoon of European manufacture and with Latin 
letters. The vessel left the winter haven in the middle of 
May (new style) 1717, but meeting with ice-fields was beset 
in them for five and a half weeks. This occasioned great 
scarcity of provisions. In the end of July the seafarers were 
again back at Okotsk. From this time there has been regular 
communication by sea between this town and Kamchatka. 
The master of the vessel during the first voyage across the 
Sea of Okotsk was the Cossack Sokolov.’- 
1 Muller, iii. p. 102. According to an oral communication by Busch, 
Strahlenberg's account (p. 17) of this voyage appears to contain several 
mistakes. The year is stated as 1713, the return voynge is said to have 
occupied six days. 
