n of reaching land to the
east at an early date that provisions and water for only a few weeks
were carried along. Bering had a crew of seventy-seven on the _St
Peter_, and among the other men of science with him was the famous
naturalist, George W. Steller. Lieutenant Chirikoff sailed the _St
Paul_ with seventy-six men, and Delisle de la Croyere was his most
distinguished passenger. As is usual during early June in that
latitude, driving rains and dense fogs came rolling down from the north
over a choppy sea. The fog turned to snow, and the _St Paul_, far in
the lead, came about to signal if they should not keep together to
avoid losing each other in the thick weather; but the _St Peter_ was
careening dangerously, and shipping thunderous seas astern. Bering's
laconic signal in answer was to keep on south 'to Gamaland'; but when
the fog lifted the _St Peter_ was in latitude 46 deg., far below the
supposed location of the strait of Juan de Fuca, and there was in sight
neither Gamaland nor the sister ship. The scientists with Bering were
in such a peevish mood {19} over the utter disproof of their mythical
continent that they insisted on the commander wasting a whole month
pottering back and forth looking for Chirikoff's ship. By this time
the weather had become very warm, the drinking water very rank, and the
provisions stale. Finally, the learned men gave decision that as the
other ship could not be found the _St Peter_ might as well turn north.

Bering had become very depressed, and so irritable that he could not
tolerate approach. If the men of learning had been but wise in the
dangers of ocean travel, they would have recognized in their commander
the symptoms of the common sea-scourge of the age--scurvy. Presently,
he was too ill to leave his bed, and Waxel, who hated all interference
and threatened to put the scientists in irons or throw them overboard,
took command. By the middle of July passengers and crew were reduced
to half allowance of bad water. Still, there were signs that afforded
hope. As the ship worked through the fog-blanket northward, drift-wood
and land birds, evidently from a land other than Asia, were seen.

At last came a land wind from the south-east, lifting the fog and
driving it back to the north. And early one morning there were {20}
confused cries from the deck hands--then silence--then shouts of
exultant joy! Everybody rushed above-decks, even the sick in their
night-robes, a