274 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
the sea-cow in the only original account of the first hunting 
voyages of the Kussians to the Aleutian Islands, which was 
published at Hamburg and Leipzig in 1776 with the title, Nem 
NacJirichten von denen neuentdeckten Insidn in der See zvmchen 
Asien und Amerika, aus mitgetheilten Urkunden und AnsziXgen 
verfasset von J. L. S ^ (Scherer).^ In thi& book the sea-cow is 
mentioned at the following places :— 
‘‘Ivan Krassilnikoff’s vessel started first in 1754 and arrived 
on the 8th October at Behring Island, where all the vessels fitted 
out for hunting the sea-otter on the remote islands are wont to 
pass the winter, in order to provide themselves with a sufficient 
stock of the flesh of the sea-cow ” {loc. cit. p. 38). 
“ The autumn storms, or rather the wish to take on board a 
stock of provisions, compelled them (a number of hunters sent 
out by the merchant Tolstyk under command of the Cossack 
Obeuchov) to touch at Commander s Island (Behring Island) 
where, during the winter up to the ^^th June, 1757, they obtained 
nothing else than sea-cows, sea-lions, and large seals. They found 
no sea-otters this year ” {ibid. p. 40). 
“ They (a Russian hunting vessel under Studenzov in 1758) 
landed on Behring Island to kill sea-cows, as all vessels are 
accustomed to do ” {ibid. p. 45). 
“ After Korovin in 1762 (on Behring Island) had provided 
himself with a sufficient stock of the flesh and hides of the sea- 
cow for his boats .... he sailed on” {ibid. p. 82). 
^ From this little work, compiled from the original journals (Cf. Coxe, 
Russian Discoveries, 1780, p. vi.) we see that the undaunted courage and 
the resolution which, matched with other qualities not so praiseworthy, 
distinguished the Promyschlenni during their expeditions of exploration, 
tribute-collecting, and plunder from the Ob to Kamchatka, did not fail 
them in the attempt to force their way across the sea to America. It 
happens yearly that a ship’s crew save themselves from destruction in 
the most extraordinary craft, for necessity has no law. But it is perhaps 
not so common that an exploring expedition, wrecked on an uninhabited 
treeless island, builds for itself of fragments from its own vessel, indeed 
even of driftwood, a new one in order to sail out on the ocean to discover 
new fishing-grounds or new wild tribes, willing to pay “jassak” to the 
adventurers. This however happened very frequently during the Russian 
voyages of discovery and hunting to the Aleutian Islands from 1745 to 
1770, and it was remarkable that the craft built in this way were used 
for years, even after the return from the first voyage. 
