SET SAIL FOR KAMTSCHATKA, 
57 
whence we naturally concluded, that the storm had remained at 
a distance. During the whole of this time we received all sorts 
of utensils and materials from the wreck. 
On the 1 f)th the sea was again very boisterous, and our ves¬ 
sel dragged her anchor very much. The captain, Mr. Hall, and 
myself, who were on land, passed a very uneasy night* as we 
knew the river tr> have a bad bottom, consisting of pebbles, and 
apprehended that our vessel might experience a similar fate with 
many transports w'hich had been driv n aground. 
In the year 1787? we were witness to a case of this kind here* 
with a ship arrived from Inshiga, w hch was unable to enter the 
river at low W’ater, and anchored ofif the reef The w ind rising* 
and the sea becoming rough, the ship w r as driven into a shoal, 
and struck on the shore. 
We happily escaped this danger, and embraced the first fa¬ 
vourable wind on the £Oth to put to sea, in order to sail to 
Kamtschatka by the way of the Kurilian islands, and spend the 
winter in the harbour of the Petropaulowsk. The favourable 
wind lasted but twenty-four hours, and was succeeded by a squall, 
W'hich disturbed the sea so much that we were obliged to hawl in 
all the sails, except the mizen-sail, and leave the ship to the 
mercy of the weaves. 
The greater part of the people who were with us had never 
been to sea, and were of course continually sick from the ex¬ 
traordinary rocking of the vessel, which was not a little increased 
by the force of their imaginations; for they fancied, that every 
wave,, which towered mountains high towards our vessel, weuid 
assuredly swallow them. Some of the sailors from Ocbotsk, 
who had been at sea before, w hispered to the others, that the 
storm arose from the eagle which Captain Billings had caught alive 
and taken with him. They accordingly entreated that it might 
have its liberty, and although this request was not complied 
with, yet the wind dropped in two days, and w 7 e steered with a 
favourable gale and full sails S. E. directy towards the second Ku¬ 
rilian island. 
Although we had no idea of a new’ discovery in this well 
known sea, through which many vessels pass from Ochotsk to 
Kamtschatka, yet we sent a person to the top-mast to take a sur¬ 
vey of the country around, who called to us at ten o’clock in the 
morning, that he discovered land. We assured ourselves of the 
reality by means of our telescopes, and in order to remove every 
possible doubt, directed our course that way. After an hour’s! 
sailing, w r e stood in near enough to distinguish a little island, 
about half a mile in extent, and elevated more than a hundred 
fathoms above the water. It appeared to be encompassed on 
SAIIYTSCHEW.] H 
