XIII.J 
SCHALAUKOV’S VOYAGE. 
201 
sailed in 1760 from the Lena out into the Polar Sea^ but 
came the first year only to the Yana, where he wintered. 
On the ^6 continued his voyage towards the east, 
always keeping near the coast. On the September he 
rounded the dreaded Svjatoinos, sighting on the other side of 
the sound a high-lying land, Ljachoff’s Island. At the Bear 
Islands, whither he was carried by a favourable wind over an 
open sea, he first met with drift-ice, although, it appears, not 
in any considerable quantity. But the season was already far 
advanced, and he therefore considered it most advisable to 
seek winter quarters at the mouth of the neigbouring Kolyma 
river. Here he built a spacious winter dwelling, which was 
surrounded by snow ramparts armed with cannon from the 
vessel; probably the whole house was not so large as a peasant’s 
cabin at home, but it was at all events the grandest palace 
on the north coast of Asia, often spoken of by later travellers, 
and regarded by the natives with amazed admiration. In the 
neighbourhood there was good reindeer hunting and abundant 
fishing, on which account the winter passed so happily, that 
only one man died of scurvy, an exceedingly favourable state 
of things for that period. 
The following year Schalaurov started on the 
calms and constant head-winds prevented him from passing 
Cape Schelagskoj, until he was compelled by the late season 
of the year to seek for winter quarters. For this he considered 
the neighbouring coast unsuitable on account of the scarcity 
of forests and driftwood; he therefore sailed back to the west¬ 
ward until after a great many mishaps he came again at last 
on the September to the house which he had built the 
year before on the Kolyma. 
He proposed immediately to make a renewed attempt the 
following spring to reach his goal. But now his stores were 
exhausted, and the wearied crew refused to accompany him. 
In order to obtain funds for a new voyage he travelled to 
