The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-26


discover the American coast. On his ARRIVAL
at Oohotsk he found the vessels Fortunate
and Gabriel, lately returned from the expedi-
tion under Captain Bering. Placing MS men
on board these vessels, he set sail; but shortly
after leaving Ochotsk the Fortunate was
driven on shore a hopeless wreck. Schesta-
kow who escaped with one hundred and fifty
men, proceeded towards the North by land
but, in a skrmish with the natives, he was
killed by an arrow, and his men routed.
Three days previous to this event
Schestakow had despatched a messenger
to one of the Russian settlements in the
South, to Cossack officer named Krupis-
chew, directing him to equip a vessel
and sail northward along the coast of Kamts
chatka. Schestakow associated with him in
this enterprise Russian named Gwosdew,
and, having repaired the wreck of the Fortu-
nata, set sail. To these two men is due the
honor of first discovering the northwest coast
of America. When in latitude 65 deg. 81 min
north, they came upon an unknown shore
opposite to Asia, which they found inhabited
but could hold no intercourse with the natives
for lack of an interpreter. This, therefore,
was the first sight of the continent in the
northwest by Europeans.
The discovery, when it became known at
St. Petersburg, caused a great sensation
Bering and other officers engaged in
the discovery were promoted, and various
plans were formed for new expeditions. The
Academy of Sciences was consulted, and men
eminent for science were appointed to proceed
to the New World. The persons thus chosen
were denominated La Soci6tC deS SaUanS Null
Ter, to whom we are indebted for much of the
information in this paper, was one of the corps
and the province undertaken by him was to
write a civil history of Siberia, to describe the
manners and customs of the inhabitants, to
search for and examine records, to describe
the antiquities, and also to write history of
the expeditions undertaken. The members of
this expedition were long delayed after their
arrival at Ochotsk; but at last, in September,
l74O set out in two vessels called respectively
the st. Peter and the st. Paul, under the COM
mand of Captain Bering; but owing to the
heavy ice, they were obliged to winter
in Awatcka Bay, on the coast of Kamts-
schatka, and it was not till June, l74l, that
they really directed their course towards the
American continent. On the 4th of the month
they were in latitude 4G deg. N; but not find
ing the expected land, Bering directed the
course northeast to latitude so deg. N, and
then east. On the goth the ships parted COM
pany. Captain Bering, in the St. Paul.
cruised near the spot for several days, hoping
to fall in with his consOrt, but at length de-
termined to advance alone. On the 18th of
July they caught an indistinct glimpse of the
land; on the 18th the low coast line of the
American continent showed itself before them
in latitude 60 deg. N. Far inland they saw
the snowcapped summit of a lofty mountain,
to which they gave the name of Mount st.
Elias, and projecting point of the coast they
named Cape St. Elias; another cape to the
westward they called St. Hermogenes; the
bay lying between these two points has
since been called Prince William
Sound One armed boat was sent to
examine the bay, and another to seek fresh
water. Among the islands that studded the
bay they found secure anchorage in very
deep water. Upon the shore were discovered
number of cabins built of smooth boards;
and in one which they entered they found
pieces of cordage, milestone, upon which
copper instruments had been sharpened, an
arrow, some articles of household furniture, a
hollow ball of baked clay, in which stone
ratified, and which was probably toy for
children; and, in the cellar, some dried salmon;
but the inhabitants had all taken flight upon
their approach.
Captain Bering did not think it advisable
to enter the bay with his vessel, but, having
procured a fresh supply OF water, he
proceeded up the coast, and towards the end
of August found himself among cluster Of
islands now known by the name of the Aleu-
tan group. At one of these islands they were
approached by some boats filled with natives,
but they would not trust themselves on
board. During the next two months the St.
Paul cruised among these islands, the crew
suffering the most intense an gulSn lrOIn SCuIVy
and exposure, until at last, through the ex-
haustion of the crew, the vessel was stranded.
And to complete their misery, Captain Bering,
who had been for some time sck having been
carried ashore, after few days expired.
During the winter thirty out of the crew OF
seventy died on the same island. The re-
mainder, from the materials Of the st. Paul,
constructed a frail vessel and on the 9th OF
August, after a tedious voyage, anchored in
Awatchka Bay.
We will not dwell longer on these early dis
coveries of the Russians, but step across
| thirty-six years, and glance at a voyage of the
celebrated Captain Cook in these waters. In
July, l776, he left England, having two ships
under his command the Resolution, com.
manded by himself, and the Discovery, COM
manded by Captain Charles Clerke. In
December of this year they sailed from Society
Islands on their voyage, and on the 18th Of
January, l777, discovered that since celebrated
| group of islands, to which were given the
name of the Sandwich Islands, and on the 18th
of March, in latitude A deg. 80 min. north
| they sighted the American continent, but sOon
lost sight of it again. After being driven out
| to sea by adverse winds, they again made land
| in latitude 49 deg 2S min. north, and on the
22d entered a sound of deep, placid water,
where they were soon surrounded by the
| boats of the natives. This sound was called
by the inhabitants Nootka Sound. The
natives were of short stature, armed will
pixies pointed with bone and iron, and bows
and arrows. Their language was harsh ano
difficult of utterance. The shore appeared tC
be studded with their villages. The men Were
L