SINGULAR AERIAL BATTLE. 
3 ? 
the trifling warmth of this summer, and the faint influence of 
the sun’s rays through the impenetrable mists, we may fairly 
conclude, that not half the ice is thawed in summer, which is 
formed in winter; not to mention, that the sea is the common 
reservoir for the ice of the surrounding rivers. From whence 
it follows, that the difference in the quantity of ice is not so much 
to be ascribed to any variations of the summer heat, as to the 
direction of the winds for impeding or assisting its passage out 
of the ocean. 
One measure we had still in reserve, namely, that of going 
round the abovementioned cape in sledges; but this was rejected, 
as impracticable, from the circumstance of not being able to 
supply the dogs with provisions for above 200 versts. At length 
we came to the resolution of giving up all farther thoughts on 
the matter until after our intended examination of the Eastern 
Ocean. For which purpose, Solnik Kobelew, and the interpret¬ 
er Daurkin, were ordered to go to inshiginsk, and from thence 
to accompany the Tschukschians, who frequent that place every 
year for the purposes of trade, to Tsukotskoi-nos, in order to 
apprise the various inhabitants of our arrival, and wait for us 
in Behring’s straights. The cold in this climate now commenc¬ 
ing, we found it prudent to lose no time in making arrangements 
for our departure to Sredne-Kolymsk by water. Our vessels 
being accordingly unrigged, and consigned to the care of the 
governor, Martianow, the commander, with part of the crew, 
took boats and were rowed up the river, leaving me with the re¬ 
mainder behind to store the Jassachna with provisions for four 
months. The day after the captain’s departure, a barge arrived 
at Nishne-Kolymsk with the necessary stores: this vessel I judg¬ 
ed would be better for towing along the shoals of the coast than 
the large vessel; and packing therefore all my baggage in it, divid¬ 
ed the crew into two parties, which were alternately to relieve 
each other. Thus disposed, we reached Sredne-Kolymsk in 
twenty days. The only circumstance worthy of note which 
occurred in this interval, was an aerial combat betwixt an eagle 
and two hawks, which was both an extraordinary and interesting 
spectacle. The two hawks first took a sweep in the air above 
the eagle; one of them then darted down with the intent of 
commencing the attack, but intimidated by the display of the 
eagles talons, turned off, and shot past him. The other in the 
mean time seized the moment in which the eagle was off his 
guard to give him a blow so violent that we distinctly heard the 
sound of it; which was repeated by the first hawk, before the 
eagle could place himself in a state of defence. Feeling his in . 
/eriority against two such powerful enemies* the eagle retired 
