age that the sound,
which has since obtained the name of Behring's Straits, is
considered to have been discovered. But it is now known that this
discovery properly belongs to the gallant hunter Deschnev, who
sailed through these straits eighty years before. I suppose
therefore that the geographical world will with pleasure embrace the
proposal to attach the name of Deschnev along with that of Behring
to this part of our globe; which may be done by substituting Cape
Deschnev, as the name of the easternmost promontory of Asia, for
that of East Cape, an appellation which is misleading and unsuitable
in in many respects. Several statements by Kamchadales regarding a
great country towards the east on the other side of the sea, induced
Behring the following year to sail away in order to ascertain
whether this was the case. In consequence of unfavourable weather he
did not succeed in reaching the coast of America, but returned with
his object unaccomplished, after which he sailed to Okotsk, where he
arrived on the 3rd Aug/23rd July 1729. Hence he betook himself
immediately to St. Petersburg, which he reached after a journey of
six months and nine days.

In maps published during Behring's absence, partly by Swedish
officers who had returned from imprisonment in Siberia,[317]
Kamchatka had been delineated with so long an extension towards the
south that this peninsula was connected with Yezo, the northernmost
of the large Japanese islands. The distance between Kamchatka and
Japan, rich in wares, would thus have been quite inconsiderable.
This nearness was believed to be further confirmed by another
Japanese ship, manned by seventeen men and laden with silk, rice,
and paper, having stranded in July 1729 on Kamchatka, south of
Avatscha Bay. In this neighbourhood there was, along with a number
of natives, a small party of Cossacks under the command of ANDREAS
SCHTINNIKOV. He at first accepted several presents from the
shipwrecked men, but afterwards withdrew from the place where the
wreck took place. When the Japanese on this account rowed on in
their boats along the coast, Schtinnikov gave orders to follow them
in a _baydar_ and kill them all but two. The cruel deed was carried
into execution, on which the malefactors took possession of the
goods, and broke in pieces the boats in order to obtain the iron
with which the boards were fastened together. The two Japanese who
were saved were carried to Nischni Kamchatskoj Ostrog. Here