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CHAPTER XI.

Plans of Peter the Great, formed on his death-bed, carried into execution by the Empress Catherine-Behring's First Expedition-His Second Shipwreck, disease, dangers, and difficulties—Behring's Death-The remainder of the Crew construct a Small Vessel, and Escape-Fresh Expedition from Russia, commanded by Tchitschagof-Its Failure-Second Attempt, with no better result-The Hudson's Bay Company renewing their exertions to discover Copper Mines, send out Overland Expeditions, commanded by Hearne-Massacre of Eskimaux Encampment-Survey of Copper Mine River.

No sooner had the energetic Peter, justly termed "the Great," completed his vast conquest of the hordes that inhabited the northern parts of Asia, than his comprehensive mind formed the plan of an expedition, to set at rest the question of the connexion, or otherwise, of the American and Asiatic continents at the N. E. extremity of his dominions. This remarkable man, even whilst on his death-bed, drew up, with his own hand, instructions for carrying out this idea; and the Empress Catherine, on his decease, entered warmly into the project; the command of the expedition was entrusted to Captain Vitus Bering or Behring, a Dane by birth, but an officer in the Russian navy. Behring departed from St. Petersburgh on the 5th February, 1725, with Lieutenants Spangberg and Tchirikow, and a numerous party of experienced artificers under his orders. After a journey of little short of 4500 miles, they arrived at Ochotzk; but it was the 14th of July, 1728, before the two

vessels, which had to be built, sailed from the river of Kamtchatka on their voyage. They steered to the N. E., making a running survey of the coast, and on the 8th August, in latitude 64° 30', held communication with some of the Chukchi, or native inhabitants of the country around, who informed them of an island lying a little further north, and of the coast trending round to the west, which statement they afterwards verified.

On the 15th, the latitude of 67° 18', was attained, no land to be seen either to the north or east; here it was decided to return to Kamtchatka, satisfied that they had fulfilled their instructions, and that it might have been dangerous to pass the winter on the bleak shore before them, the coast line of which appeared like high walls, and was covered with snow winter and summer; they therefore stood to the south, and arrived in the river of Kamtchatka on the 8th September, where they passed the winter.1

Behring made an ineffectual attempt to reach the American continent in the year 1729; but it was in 1741 that he sailed on that memorable expedition, with the same officers who had accompanied him on his first voyage, and in which he lost his life.

The two vessels, called the St. Peter and the St. Paul, passed the winter in the Bay of Awatchka, or as it was named after them, Petropoulowski,2 and sailed from thence on the 4th June, 1741. After searching in vain for land, said to exist in the southeast of Awatchka, they stood to the north, and were just about to alter their course to the east, to reach the American shore, when a thick fog and violent

1 Harris's Coll. v. ii. pp. 1020-1; Coxe's Russian Discoveries, pp. 21, 24, 94; Burney's N. E. Voy. pp. 117, 123.

2 Lat. 53° 58' N., long. 201o 16' 50", has an excellent harbour, open from April to November. Captain Clerkc, Cook's successor, died at sea, and was interred here.

storm separated the two commanders, who were destined never to meet again. Tschirikow made the continent on the 15th July in 56°, where he anchored in deep water, and sent a boat on shore properly armed, and with instructions to signal the ship on landing. But nothing was seen or heard of them more. Day after day they heard the appointed signals, and at length came to the conclusion, that the barge had received some damage, which it was not in their power to repair. They accordingly despatched the boatswain and six men on shore, furnished with the necessary materials. Their distress may be imagined when, anxiously awaiting the renewal of the signals, no sound broke the silence, but the hoarse roar of the waves as they dashed upon the rocky shore; and their worst apprehensions appeared to be confirmed, when next day two large canoes, filled with savages, came off to the ship; but, apparently intimidated by the number of her crew, withdrew without molesting them, further than shouting at the top of their voices, Agai, agai!" the signification of which they were not permitted to learn; for a heavy gale from the west arose, and, fearing they might be dashed to pieces on the iron-bound coast, they were forced to weigh, and proceed to sea.

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Tschirikow, however, after a cruise of some days, returned to the spot, which now appeared lonely and deserted, and at length it was determined to turn the ship's head homeward. According to Captain Burney, the natives of this part of the coast of North America live principally by hunting and catching game, in which occupations they continually practise every species of decoy. They imitate the whistlings of birds: they have carved wood masks, resembling the heads of animals, which they put on over their own, and enter the woods in masquerade. They had observed the signals made to the ship by the boat which

first landed, and the continuance of those signals afterwards seen and heard by the Russians on board, were doubtless American imitations.3

Commodore Behring got sight of the continent three days after Captain Tschirikow, in 58° 28′, or according to another account, 68° N. lat; the sight was grand in the extreme: stupendous mountains, covered with snow, rose one above the other, as far as the vision extended, whilst one far inland, rising to the height of fifteen thousand feet, was plainly discernible sixteen German miles out at sea, and received the name of Mount St. Elias. Here a landing was effected, and traces of the native inhabitants discovered. They proceeded in their survey to the north, until they found the coast trend to the south-west, and the navigation among the small islands, which studded it, extremely tedious and dangerous.

The fatal scurvy soon after broke out among the crew, and its virulence was unhappily increased by their use of some brackish water, which they had procured from one of the islands. Behring himself was attacked by it, and confined to his bed, so that the command devolved upon Lieutenant Waxel.

For days together it was now one long struggle against westerly winds and heavy fogs. On the 24th September, a high dreary coast was seen, and soon after a dreadful gale at west, drove them before it far to the south-east. For seventeen days they were driven before its fury; "during this dangerous navigation, in which they were repeatedly entangled with islands, and narrowly escaped shipwreck, the misery and despondency of the crew were inexpressible, whilst their condition was rendered still more deplorable by discontent and insubordination, and by the helpless state of Behring. At one period only ten persons were capable of duty, and they were too weak to furl 3 Burney's N. E. Voy. p. 180.

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the sails, so that the ship was left to the mercy of the elements."4

On the 4th November land was again seen, in 56° N., on approaching which they came to an anchor, which, however, parted; another was let go, and also gave way, and while preparing a third, the ship was thrown by a high wave over a ledge of rocks into still water. Morning dawned, and they found themselves surrounded on all sides by rocks and breakers, and though they knew that they were not far distant from the coast of Kamtchatka, it became apparent that they would have to remain on this island all the winter.

On the 8th they commenced transporting the sick to the miserable hovels they had with infinite pains built, an operation which resulted in the death of many, owing to the difference of the temperature in their close berths, and the sharp biting wind on deck. Waxel the lieutenant, and Kytrow the master, who had by constant exertion managed until now to keep in tolerable health, at length fell victims to the general contagion, considerably aggravated by the want of anti-scorbutics, and by the nature of their food, which consisted chiefly of the flesh of the seaotter, so tough that it had to be torn in pieces by the teeth; "on the whole, want, nakedness, cold, sickness, impatience, and despair were our daily guests.' In this miserable situation they continued to drag on a weary existence until the 8th December, when the commodore expired. Behring was a man of the greatest merit; his principal fault, Steller says, was extreme mildness, and too great facility in adopting the opinion of others, which occasioned the insubordination and want of discipline so fatal to the expedition. It is much to be regretted, that a man who * Coxe's "Russian Discoveries," p. 65.

5 Steller's Journal of the Voy. "Russ. Discov." p. 76.

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