THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
289 
put into the Serjeant’s hands, and, by his affiftance, were 1779. 
made to underhand, that orders had been given about the , Scpt ^ mber , 
cattle; and that they might be expected here in a few days ; 
and, moreover, that Captain Shmaleff, the prefent Com¬ 
mander, would himfelf pay us a vifit immediately on the 
arrival of a Iloop which was daily expected from Okotzk. 
The young officer, who brought the letter, was the foil of 
the Captain Lieutenant Synd, who commanded an expedi¬ 
tion on difcovery, between Alia and America, eleven years 
ago, and relided at this time at Okotzk *. He informed us, 
that he was fent to receive our directions, and to take care 
to get us fupplied with whatever our fervice might require; 
and that he fhould remain with us, till the Commander 
was himfelf able to leave Bolcheretlk ; after which he was 
to return, that the garrifon there might not be left with¬ 
out an officer. 
On the 5th, the parties that were on Ihore returned Sunday 
on board, and were employed in fcrubbing the fhip’s bot- 
* See all that is known of his voyage, and a Chart of his difcoveries, in Mr. Coxe’s 
Account of Ruffian Difcoveries between Afia and America, We were not able to learn, 
from the Ruffians in Kamtfchatka, a more perfect account of Synd than we now find 
is given by Mr. Coxe ; and yet they feemed difpofed to communicate all that they really 
knew. Major Behm could only inform us, in general, that the expedition had mifcar- 
ried as to its objedl, and that the commander had fallen under much blame. It ap¬ 
peared evidently, that he had been on the coaft of America to the Southward of Cape 
Prince of Wales, between the latitude of 64° and 65°; and it is moft probable, that his 
having got too far to the Northward to meet with fea-otters, which the Ruffians, in all 
their attempts at difcoveries, feem to have principally in view, and his returning 
without having made any that promifed commercial advantages, was the caufe of his 
difgrace, and of the great contempt with which the Ruffians always fpoke of this officer’s 
voyage. 
The duller of iflands, placed in Synd’s chart, between the latitude of 6i° and 65°, is 
undoubtedly the fame with the illand, called, by Beering, St. Laurence’s, and thofe we 
named Clerke’s, Anderfon’s, and King’s Lands ; but their proportionate fize, and rela¬ 
tive fituation, are exceedingly erroneous. 
Vchl. III. p p tom, 
