CHAP. XV.] 
DISCOVERY OF BEHRING ISLAND. 
265 
waves, came unexpectedly into a basin 4^ fathoms deep sur¬ 
rounded by rocks and with quite still water, being connected 
with the sea only by a single narrow opening. If the unmanage¬ 
able vessel had not drifted just to that place it would certainly 
have gone to pieces, and all on board would have perished. 
It was only with great difficulty that the sick crew could put 
out a boat in which Lieut. Waxel and Steller landed. They 
found the land uninhabited, devoid of wood, and uninviting. But 
a rivulet with fresh clear water purled yet unfrozen down the 
mountain sides, and in the sand hills along the coast were found 
some deep pits, which when enlarged and covered with sails 
could be used as dwellings. The men who could still stand on 
their legs all joined in this work. On the ^th November the 
sick could be removed to land, but, as often happens, many died 
when they were brought out of the cabin into the fresh air, others 
while they were being carried from the vessel or immediately 
after they came to land. All in whom the scurvy had taken the 
upper hand to that extent that they were already lying in bed 
on board the vessel, died. The survivors had scarcely time or 
strength to bury the dead, and found it difficult to protect the 
corpses from the hungry foxes that swarmed on the island and 
had not yet learned to be afraid of man. On the ^°th Behring 
was carried on land; he was already much reduced and dejected, 
and could not be induced to take exercise. He died on the ^th 
December. 
Vitus Behring was a Dane by birth, and when a young 
man had already made voyages to the East and West Indies. 
In I707 he was received into the Russian navy as officer, 
and as such took part in all the warlike enterprises of that 
fleet against Sweden. He was in a way buried alive on the 
island that now bears his name, for at last he did not 
permit his men to remove the sand that rolled down upon 
him from the walls of the sand pit in which he rested. For 
he thought that the sand warmed his chilled body. Before 
