256 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. XIV. 
Since 1817 several exploring expeditions have landed on St. 
Lawrence Island, but always only for a few hours. It is very 
dangerous to stay long here with a vessel. For there is no 
known haven on the coast of this large island, which is surrounded 
by an open sea. In consequence of the heavy swell which almost 
constantly prevails here, when the surrounding sea is clear of ice, 
it is difficult to land on the island with a boat, and the vessel 
anchored in the open road is constantly exposed to he thrown by 
a storm rising unexpectedly upon the shore cliffs. This held 
good in fullest measure of the Vegans anchorage, and Captain 
Palander was on this account anxious to leave the place as soon 
as possible. On the 2nd August at three o’clock in the afternoon 
we accordingly resumed our voyage. The course was shaped at 
first for Karaginsk Island on the east coast of Kamchatka, where 
it was my intention to stay some days in order to get an oppor¬ 
tunity of making a comparison between the natural conditions 
of middle Kamchatka and the Chukch Peninsula. But as 
unfavourable winds delayed our passage longer than I had 
calculated on, I abandoned, though unwillingly, the plan of 
landing there. The Commander’s Islands became instead the 
nearest goal of the expedition. Here the Vega anchored on the 
14th August in a very indifferent harbour completely open to 
the west, north-west, and south, lying on the west side of Behring 
Island, between the main island and a small island lying off it. 
then believed that this was done because the natives were unwilling to 
feed them during winter, but it is not impossible that they sacrificed them 
to avert the misfortunes which it was feared the arrival of the foreigners 
would bring with it. 
