A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Xvii Part 11

This striking difference of the land on each side Awatska Bay, with their different bearings, are the best guides to steer for it in coming from the southward; and, in approaching it from the northward, Cheepoonskoi Noss will make itself very conspicuous; for it is a high projecting head-land, with a considerable extent of level ground lower than the Noss, uniting it to the continent. It presents the same appearance, whether viewed from the north or south, and will warn the mariner not to be deceived in imagining Awatska Bay to lie in the bight which the coast forms to the northward of this Noss, and which might be the case, from the striking resemblance there is between a conical hill within this bight or bay, and one to the south of Awatska Bay.

I have been thus particular in giving a minute description of this coast, from our own experience of the want of it. For had we been furnished with a tolerable account of the form of the coast on each side of Awatska Bay, we should, on our first arrival upon it, have got safely within the bay two days before we did, and thereby have avoided part of the stormy weather which came on when we were plying off the mouth of the harbour. Besides, from the prevalence of fogs in these seas, it must frequently happen, that an observation for ascertaining the lat.i.tude cannot be got; to which we may add, that the deceptive appearances land makes when covered with snow, and when viewed through an hazy atmosphere, both which circ.u.mstances prevail here during the greatest part of the year, render the knowledge of a variety of discriminating objects the more necessary.

Should, however, the weather be clear enough to admit a view of the mountains on the coast in its neighbourhood, these will serve to point out the situation of Awatska Bay, with a great deal of precision. For to the south of it are two high mountains; that which is nearest to the bay, is shaped like a sugar-loaf; the other, which is farther inland, does not appear so high, and is flat at the top. To the north of the bay, are three very conspicuous mountains; the westernmost is, to appearance, the highest; the next is the _volcano_ mountain, which may be known from the smoke that issues from its top, and likewise from some high table-hills connected with it, and stretching to the northward; these two are somewhat peaked. The third, and the most northerly, might perhaps be more properly called a cl.u.s.ter of mountains, as it presents to the sight several flat tops.

When the navigator has got within the capes, and into the outward bay, a perpendicular head-land, with a lighthouse erected upon it, will point out the entrance of the bay of Awatska to the northward. To the eastward of this head-land lie many sunken rocks, stretching into the sea, to the distance of two or three miles; and which will shew themselves, if there be but a moderate sea or swell. Four miles to the south of the entrance lies a small round island, very distinguishable from being princ.i.p.ally composed of high pointed rocks, with one of them strikingly remarkable, as being much larger, more peaked and perpendicular than the rest.

It is no way necessary to be equally particular in the description of the bay itself, as of its approaches and environs; since no words can give the mariner a perfect idea of it. The entrance is at first near three miles wide, and in the narrowest part one mile and a half, and four miles long, in a N.N.W. direction. Within the mouth is a n.o.ble bason of twenty-five miles circuit, with the capacious harbours of Tareinska to the W., of Rakoweena to the E., and the small one of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, where we lay, to the N.

Tareinska harbour is about three miles in breadth, and twelve in length; it stretches to the E.S.E., and is separated from the sea, at the bottom, by a narrow neck of land. The road into this harbour is perfectly free from rocks or shoals. We had never less than seven fathoms water, as far as our survey extended; for we were not able to get to the bottom of the harbour on account of the ice.

The harbour of Rakoweena would deserve the preference over the other two, if its entrance were not impeded by a shoal lying in the middle of the channel; which, in general, will make it necessary to warp in, unless there be a leading wind. It is from one mile to half a mile in width, and three miles long, running at first in a S.E., and afterward in an easterly direction. Its depth is from thirteen to three fathoms.

Saint Peter and Saint Paul's is one of the most convenient little harbours I ever saw. It will hold conveniently half a dozen s.h.i.+ps, moored head and stern; and is fit for giving them any kind of repairs. The south side is formed by a low sandy neck, exceedingly narrow, on which the _ostrog_ is built; and whose point may almost be touched by s.h.i.+ps going in, having three fathoms water close in with it. In the mid channel, which is no more than two hundred and seventy-eight feet across, there are six fathoms and a half; the deepest water within is seven fathoms; and in every part over a muddy bottom. We found some inconvenience from the toughness of the ground, which constantly broke the messenger, and gave us a great deal of trouble in getting up the anchors. There is a watering-place at the head of the harbour.

The plan we drew points out the shoal to be avoided, lying off the eastern harbour, as well as the spit within the entrance, stretching from the S.W.

sh.o.r.e, and over which there are only three fathoms water. In order to steer clear of the latter, a small island, or perhaps it may rather be called a large detached rock, lying on the west sh.o.r.e of the entrance, is to be shut in with the land to the south of it; and to steer clear of the former, the Three Needle Rocks, which lie on the east sh.o.r.e of the entrance near the light-house head, are to be kept open with the head-lands (or bluff-heads) that rise to the northward of the first small bay, or bending, observable on the east side of the entrance. When arrived to the north of the north head-land of the eastern harbour, the shoal is past.

In sailing into the harbour of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and approaching the village, it is necessary to keep in close to the eastern sh.o.r.e, in order to avoid a spit which runs from the head-land to the S.W. of the town.[41]

Before I proceed to give a table of the result of our astronomical observations at this place, it may be proper to acquaint the reader, that the time-keeper we had on board the Resolution, which was an exact copy of that invented by Mr Harrison, and executed by Mr Kendal, stopped on the 27th of April, a few days before we first came into Awatska Bay. It had been always kept with the most scrupulous care during the voyage, having never been trusted for a moment into any other hands than those of Captain Cook and mine. No accident could therefore have happened to it, to which we could attribute its stopping; nor could it have arisen from the effects of intense cold, as the thermometer was very little below the freezing point.

As soon as the discovery was made, I consulted with Captain Clerke what course it was best to pursue; whether to let it remain as it was, entirely useless to us, for the purpose of satisfying the curious at home, where it was sure of being examined by proper judges, or suffer it to be inspected by a seaman on board, who had served a regular apprentices.h.i.+p to a watchmaker in London, and appeared sufficiently knowing in the business, from his success in cleaning and repairing several watches since we had been out. The advantages we had derived from its accuracy, made us extremely unwilling to be deprived of its use during the remaining part of the voyage; and that object appeared to us to be of much greater importance than the small degree of probability, which we understood was all that could be expected, of obtaining any material knowledge respecting its mechanism, by deferring the inspection of it. At the same time, it should be remembered, that the watch had already a sufficient trial, both in the former voyage and during the three years we had now had it on board to ascertain its utility. On these considerations, we took the opportunity of the first clear day, after our arrival in Awatska Bay, of opening the watch, which was done in the captain's cabin, and in our presence. The watchmaker found no part of the work broken; but not being able to set it a-going, he proceeded to take off the c.o.c.k and balance, and cleaned both the pivot-holes, which he found very foul, and the rest of the work rather dirty; he also took off the dial-plate; and, between two teeth of the wheel that carries the second-hand, found a piece of dirt, which he imagined to be the princ.i.p.al cause of its stopping. Having afterward put the work together, and oiled it as sparingly as possible, the watch appeared to go free and well.

Having received orders the next day to go to Bolcheretsk, the time-keeper was left in the care of Mr Bayley, to compare it with his watch and clock, in order to get its rate. On my return, I was told it had gone for some days with tolerable regularity, losing only from fifteen to seventeen seconds a-day, when it stopped a second time. It was again opened, and the cause of its stopping appeared to be owing to the man having put some part of the work badly together when he first opened it. Being again adjusted, it was found to gain above a minute a-day; and, in the attempt to alter the regulator and balance-spring, he broke the latter. He afterward made a new spring; but the watch now went so irregularly, that we made no farther use of it. The poor fellow was not less chagrined than we were at our bad success; which, however, I am convinced, was more owing to the miserable tools he was obliged to work with, and the stiffness his hands had contracted from his ordinary occupation, than to his want of skill.

For the satisfaction of those who may wish to have a general view of its rate of going, I have added the following table.

The first and second columns contain the dates when, and the names of the places where its rate was observed. The third column contains the daily error of its rate, so found from mean time. The fourth column has the longitude of each place, according to the Greenwich rate; that is, calculated on a supposition that the time-keeper had not varied its rate from the time it left Greenwich. But as we had frequent opportunities of ascertaining the variation of its daily error, or finding its new rate, the fifth column has the longitude according to its last rate, calculated from the true longitude of the place last departed from. The sixth is the true longitude of the place deduced from astronomical observations made by ourselves, and compared with those made by others, whenever such could be obtained. The seventh column shews the difference between the fourth column and the sixth in s.p.a.ce; and the eighth the same difference in time. The ninth shews the number of months and days in which the error, thus determined, had been acc.u.mulating. The difference between the fifth and sixth columns is found in the tenth, and shews the error of the time- keeper, according to its rate last found, in s.p.a.ce; and the eleventh the same error in time. The twelfth contains the time elapsed in sailing from the place where the rate was last taken, to the place whose longitude is last determined. The thirteenth and fourteenth contain the state of the air at the time of each observation.

As persons, unaccustomed to calculations of this sort, may find some difficulty in comprehending the nature of the table, the two following instances will more clearly explain it.

Thus, on the 24th October, 1776, (first column,) at the Cape of Good Hope (second column,) we found the daily error, in the rate of its going, to be 2",26 (third column.) The longitude of that place, calculated on a supposition that the rate of the time-keeper had continued the same from the time of our leaving Greenwich, that is, had a regular daily error of 1",21, is found to be 18 26' 30" east (fourth column.) And as its rate at Greenwich is, in this instance, its latest rate, the longitude thus found is the same (fifth column.) The true longitude of the place is 18 23' 15"

(sixth column.) From whence it appears, that in our run from Greenwich to the Cape, the watch would have led us into an error only of 3' 15" (seventh column,) or three miles one quarter; or had varied 13" of time (eighth column,) in four months twenty-three days (ninth column,) the period between our leaving Greenwich and our arrival at the Cape. As the Greenwich is the latest error, the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth columns, will be the same with the seventh and ninth.

But, on the 23d of February, 1777, (first column,) at Queen Charlotte's Sound, New Zealand, (second column,) the daily error of its rate was found to be 2",91, (third column.) The longitude of this place, according to the Greenwich rate, is 175 25', (fourth column.) But having found at the Cape, that it had altered its rate from a daily error of 1",21, to 2",26, the longitude corrected by this new rate is found to be 174 44' 23", (fifth column.) The true longitude of the place being 174 23' 31", (sixth column;) it appears that, in our run from Greenwich to New Zealand, the error would have been only 1 1' 29", (seventh column,) or sixty-one miles and a half, even if we had not had an opportunity of correcting its daily error; or, in other words, that the watch had varied 4' 5",3, (eighth column,) in nine months four days, (ninth column.) But the longitude, as given by its new rate, leaves an error of only 30' 54", (tenth column,) near thirty-one miles, or, in time, 2' 3",6, (eleventh column,) which has been acc.u.mulating during our run from the Cape to New Zealand, or in four months nine days, (twelfth column.) The thirteenth and fourteenth columns require no explanation.

TABLE of the Rate and Error of Mr Kendall's Watch on Board the Resolution.

I. II. III. IV. V. VI. ------- --------------- -------- ------------------------------- Error of Longitude Longitude True TIME. PLACE. Daily by Green- by Longitude. Rate. wich Rate. New Rate. ------- --------------- -------- ---------- --------- ---------- " ' " ' " ' " 1776. -------- ---------- --------- ---------- June 11 Greenwich -1,21 0 0 0E 0 0 0E 0 0 0E Oct. 24 Cape of Good -2,26 18 26 30 18 26 30 18 23 15 Hope 1777. Feb. 22 Queen Char- lotte's Sound, -2,91 175 25 0 174 54 25 174 23 31 New Zealand May 7 Anamooka +0,52 186 13 26 186 13 15 185 11 18 June 7 Anamooka -0,54 186 8 28 186 12 43 185 11 18 July 1 Tongataboo -1,78 185 48 50 184 53 0 184 55 18 Sept. 1 Otaheite -1,54 211 41 26 210 39 8 210 22 28 Oct. 17 Huaheine -2,30 210 14 52 208 50 24 208 52 24 Nov. 7 Ulietea -1,52 209 42 54 208 25 22 208 25 22 1778. Apr. 16 Nootka -7,0 235 32 45 233 56 0 233 17 8 Oct. 14 Samganoodha -8,8 197 44 15 193 12 35 193 31 20 1779. Feb. 2 Owhyhee -9,6 214 7 35 203 37 22 204 0 0 May 1 Saint Peter and T.K. Saint Paul, stopt. 173 86 0 159 20 0 158 43 16 Kamtschatka -----------------------------------------------------------------

VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. ----------------------------------------------- ------ --------- ------- Acc.u.mulated Error by Error by New Rate. Thermo- B Greenwich Rate. Length Length meter. a -------------------- of ------------------- of --------- r Time. Time. o In In In In Gr. Least m s.p.a.ce. Time. s.p.a.ce. Time. Height. e --------- ---------- ------ --------- --------- ------ --------- t ' " H. ' " Mo Da ' " H ' " Mo Da er. --------- ---------- ------ --------- --------- ------ ---- ---- ------- + 0 3 15 0 0 13,0 4 23 + 0 3 15 0 0 13,0 4 23 84 63 30, 0 1 1 29 0 4 5,9 9 4 + 0 30 54 0 2 3,6 4 9 73 53 30, 0 1 2 8 0 4 8,5 11 22 + 1 1 57 0 4 7,8 2 18 83 74 30, 1 0 57 10 0 3 48,6 12 25 + 1 1 25 0 4 5,6 1 3 79 73 30,15 0 53 32 0 3 34,1 13 21 - 0 2 18 0 0 9,2 0 24 85 69 30,15 1 18 58 0 5 15,8 15 27 + 0 16 40 0 1 6,6 2 6 90 70 30, 1 1 22 28 0 5 29,8 17 17 - 0 2 0 0 0 8,0 1 18 90 72 29, 9 1 17 32 0 5 10,1 18 10 0 0 0 0 0 0,0 0 21 92 70 29, 7 2 15 27 0 9 1,8 24 2 + 0 28 42 0 2 34,8 5 20 65 41 30, 0 4 12 55 0 16 51,6 30 15 - 0 18 45 0 1 15,0 6 13 57 36 20,15 10 7 35 0 40 30,3 34 14 - 0 22 38 0 1 30,5 3 27 88 70 29, 8 14 52 44 0 59 30,9 37 18 - 0 36 44 0 2 16,9 3 4 --------------------------------------------------------------------------

From this view of the time-keeper it appears, that for near two years it altered its rate very inconsiderably, and therefore that its error, according to the Greenwich rate, if we had had no opportunities of correcting it, amounted only to 2-1/4. That afterward, at King George's Sound, or Nootka, it was found to have varied exceedingly; of course, the longitude, by its Greenwich rate, was becoming considerably erroneous.

About this time, it should be remarked, the thermometer was varying from 65 to 41. The greatest alteration we ever observed in the watch was, during the three weeks we were cruising to the N.; in which interval, it gave the longitude of the East Cape with a difference of twenty-eight miles, I have marked the longitude of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, as given by the time-keeper, notwithstanding it stopped a few days before we arrived there; this I was enabled to do, from comparing the longitude it gave the day before it stopped, with that given by Mr Bayley's watch, and allowing for the error of the latter.

The use of so accurate a measure of time is sufficiently evident, from its furnis.h.i.+ng in itself the means of approximating to the longitude at sea, as may be seen in the above table. But, besides this, we were enabled, by the same means, to give a degree of accuracy to the lunar observations, which they cannot otherwise pretend to; and, at the same time, by reducing a number of those observations to one time, obtain results approaching still nearer to the truth. In surveying coasts, and ascertaining the true position of capes and head-lands, it reaches the utmost degree of practical exactness. On the other hand, it is to be observed, that lunar observations, in their turn, are absolutely necessary, in order to reap the greatest possible advantages from the time-keeper; since, by ascertaining the true longitude of places, they discover the error of its rate. The original observations that were made in the course of this voyage, have been published by order of the Board of Longitude, and to those I must refer the reader, for his further information on this subject.

N.B. The observatories were placed on the west side of the village of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

Lat.i.tude deduced from meridian zenith distances of the sun, and of five stars to the S., and five to the N. of the zenith 53 0' 38" N.

Longitude deduced from one hundred and forty-six sets of lunar observations 158 43 16 E.

Longitudy by time-keeper, according to its Greenwich rate 173 36 0 Longitude by time-keeper, according to its rate found at Owhyhee 159 20 0 Variation of the compa.s.s, by azimuths taken with three compa.s.ses, made by Knight, Gregory, and Martin 6 18 40 E.

Dip of the North Pole of the magnetic needle, being a mean of the observations taken in June and September 63 5 0

It was high water, on the full and change of the moon, at thirty-six minutes past four, and the greatest rise was five feet eight inches. The tides were very regular every twelve hours. On the coast, near the bay, the flood came from the S., and the time of high water was near two hours sooner than in the harbour of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

[35] See all that is known of this voyage, and a chart of discoveries, in Mr c.o.xe's Account of Russian-Discoveries between Asia and America. We were not able to learn from the Russians in Kamtschatka, a more perfect account of Synd than we now find is given by Mr c.o.xe; and yet they seemed disposed to communicate all that they really knew. Major Behm could only inform us, in general, that the expedition had miscarried as to its object, and that the commander had fallen under much blame. It appeared evidently that he had been on the coast of America, to the southward of Cape Prince of Wales, between the lat.i.tudes 64 and 65 and it is most probable that his having got too far to the northward to meet with sea-otters, which the Russians, in all their attempts at discoveries, seem to have princ.i.p.ally, in view, and his returning without having made any that promised commercial advantages, was the cause of his disgrace, and of the great contempt with which the Russians always spoke of this officer's voyage.

The cl.u.s.ter of islands placed in Synd's chart, between the lat.i.tudes of 61 and 65, is undoubtedly the same with the island called by Beering St Laurence's, and those we named Clerke's, Anderson's, and King's Islands; but their proportionate size, and relative situation, are exceedingly erroneous.

[36] By some strange anomaly in human nature, it would seem as if, in many cases, the apprehension of danger is in the inverse proportion of the amount of evil to be dreaded, or of the probability of its happening.

Thus, the good people at Saint Peter and Saint Paul, who have but very little more reason to expect the intrusion of enemies, than if they dwelt in the regions of the North Pole, exhibit a remarkable degree of unnecessary suspicion on the occurrence of the most harmless, nay the most beneficial events. In addition to what is recorded in this voyage, we may mention an evidence of it in the case of Captain Krusenstern's last arrival among them, which happened sooner than they had looked for, notwithstanding his having previously intimated it. On the appearance of his vessel, the people immediately concluded it was an enemy, and some families began to fly with their effects to the neighbouring mountains. To them it seemed more natural, that some hostile power should send a vessel half round the globe in order to conquer a miserable spot, whose only riches was a few dried fish, and where a crew could scarcely subsist for two months, than that the s.h.i.+p in sight should belong to a friend whose arrival they had been instructed to expect. Nor were their fears quieted, till the solemn and strongly urged opinion of the soldier on duty, who, from his having been a companion of Captain Billing's, had the reputation of much knowledge in such matters, induced them to believe, that the form and rigging of the s.h.i.+p could be no other than those of their old acquaintance the Nadeshda!--E.

[37] The singular personage here spoken of, was living near Saint Peter and Saint Paul in 1805, when Captain Krusenstern arrived there. He was at that time eighty-six years old, and had but lately obtained his liberty from the present emperor, who, besides other bounty, granted him a sum of money to cover his travelling expenses, if he chose to return to St Petersburg. The old man, however, was unable to bring his mind to undertake the journey, or even to venture the sea with Krusenstern; and in all probability, therefore, would end his days in the land of his captivity. We learn from the same authority, that Iwashkin had been banished in consequence of a report, apparently an unfounded one, that he had been engaged in a conspiracy against the Empress Elizabeth; and he is said to have been afterwards refused a pardon by Catharine, because he had been accused of murdering a man in the heat of pa.s.sion. But for this circ.u.mstance, according to K., "the terms in which he is mentioned in Cook's voyage are such, as would not fail to meet with attention in Russia." These few additional particulars may add to whatever of interest is felt in Captain Kind's account of this exile. And even this may be enhanced to the susceptible mind by the remark, that old and worn out as Iwashkin appeared to Captain King, he nevertheless survived him at least twenty years, as the latter died at Nice, in Italy, in 1784.--E.

[38] It may not be ill-timed to mention here, what Captain Krusenstern says as to the scarcity of gunpowder in Kamtschatka, to which Captain King alludes in his account of bear-hunting. It is owing to the deficiency of this article, that the inhabitants are so seldom provided with certain luxuries of the table, as the wild sheep, or _argalis_, rein- deer, hares, ducks, and geese, with most or all of which the country is tolerably well stocked. The conveyance of this most useful material from the provinces of European Russia, is both difficult and exposed to different accidents; such as getting wet, or, what is still worse, taking fire; in consequence of which latter occurrence, it is said, whole villages have been destroyed. To prevent this mischief, as much as possible, we are informed, that gunpowder is now forbidden to be brought for private sale. This prohibition, as is usual in all such cases, is often evaded, and, by augmenting the price of the article, of course excites the stronger disposition on the part of the merchant to introduce it. The Kamtschadale, therefore, purchases powder secretly, and at a very high price; he uses it sparingly, and that only for defence against bears; or to kill some animal, whose skin he knows will repay the cost of getting it. As, in many respects, it is an article of indispensable necessity, and as therefore the people must have it in some way or other, Captain Krusenstern recommends, that, with many other commodities, it should be sent from Cronstadt.--E.

[39] The reader will probably not dislike to see another instance of the bear's cunning, in the mode of catching a peculiar sort of fish called _kachly_, which abounds in Kamtschatka, and of which he is exceedingly fond. We are told by Krusenstern, that as soon as this animal perceives the shoals of _kachly_ going up the river, he places himself in the water, within a short distance of the bank, and in such a position of his legs, as that the fish, which always goes straight forward, may have just s.p.a.ce enough to pa.s.s between them. He then watches his opportunity, when a good many have entered the snare, to press his legs together, so as to inclose his prey, with which, at one spring, he jumps on sh.o.r.e, where he devours them at his leisure. This practice is much to be commended for the spirit of independence it indicates; but not so another one, which some authors have charged against these sagacious animals, viz. dragging the fishermen's nets out of the water, during their absence, and then robbing them of the fish they contained. Mr Bingley's Animal Biography, where this piece of pilfering is mentioned, may be advantageously consulted for several amusing notices respecting the habits and capabilities of this creature, which are quite in unison with Captain King's account.--E.

[40] The interest of the following pa.s.sage, from the account of Krusenstern's voyage, will form the only apology necessary for the largeness of the s.p.a.ce it occupies. "As it was evident, upon our arrival, that the many things necessary to be done on board, would occupy a s.p.a.ce of not less than four or five weeks, the officers of the s.h.i.+p had formed a plan of renewing the monument which had been erected to Captain Clerke. From Cook's and La Perouse's voyage, it is well known that Clerke was buried in the town of Saint Peter and St Saint Paul, under a large tree, to which a board, with an inscription, was affixed, mentioning his death, his age and rank, and the object of the expedition, in which he lost his life. We found the escutcheon, painted by Webber, the draughtsman of the Resolution, and suspended by Captain King in the church at Paratunka, in the portico of Major Krupskoy's house, nor did any one appear to know what connection it had with this painted board; and as there has been no church for many years either in Paratunka or Saint Peter and Saint Paul, it was very fortunate that the escutcheon was not entirely lost. La Perouse, finding the board on the tree rotting very fast, had the inscription copied on a plate of copper, adding, that it had been restored by him; and as this inscription is not given in Cook's voyage, and every thing relative to him and his companion must be interesting to all, I cannot avoid transcribing it here from La Perouse's copy.

"At The Root Of This Tree Lies The Body Of Captain Charles Clerke, Who Succeeded To The Command Of His Britannic Majesty's s.h.i.+ps, The Resolution And Discovery, On The Death Of Captain James Cook, Who Was Unfortunately Killed By The Natives At An Island In The South Sea On The 14TH Of February In The Year 1779, And Died At Sea Of A Lingering Consumption The 22ND August In The Same Year, Aged 38.

"Copie sur l'inscription Angloise par ordre de M^r le C^{te} de la Perouse chef d'Escadre, en 1787.

"This plate La Perouse caused to be nailed on the wooden monument. We found it there, although it had more than once been removed. The monument itself, however, appeared to promise but short duration; for the tree, which was more than half decayed, could not stand above a few years longer, and it was become necessary to raise a more durable one to Cook's companion. We also found the coffin, containing the remains of De Lisle de la Croyere, as we were digging up the ground, a few paces from Clerke's tomb, after having long sought for it in vain.

La Perouse had erected a monument to him also; and, upon a copper- plate, had engraved an inscription, containing a few of the particulars of his life. Of this there was not the least vestige remaining, though no longer s.p.a.ce than eighteen years had since elapsed. The _memento_ of these two persons, equally skilled in the science of navigation, and who had both lost their lives in one of the most inhospitable quarters of the globe, could now be united in one monument; and, for this purpose, a durable pedestal of wood was erected as near as possible to the old tree, in order still to preserve the locality; and over this a pyramid; on one side of which, the plate, which La Perouse had engraved, was fastened; and on the opposite side, a copy of Captain Clerke's escutcheon, made for the occasion by M. Tilesius. On the other two sides were the following inscriptions, in Russian: 'In the first voyage round the world, undertaken by the Russians, under the command of Captain Krusenstern, the officers of the s.h.i.+p Nadeshda erected this monument to the memory of the English captain, Clerke, on the 15th September 1805.'

"And on the side facing the south: 'Here rest the ashes of De Lisle de la Croyere, the astronomer attached to the expedition commanded by Commodore Behring, in the year 1741.'

"This monument was constructed under the direction of Lieutenant Ratmanoff; and his anxiety to complete it previous to our departure, made him overcome every difficulty in the way of such an undertaking in Kamtschatka. It would have been an injustice in me not to have supported and contributed by all the means in my power to its completion; and as I gave them not only workmen, but also such materials as we had on board the s.h.i.+p, we had the satisfaction of seeing it entirely completed previous to our departure. A deep ditch surrounded the whole; and, in order to screen it against any accidental injury, it was inclosed in a high paling, the door of which was to be kept constantly locked, and the key to remain in the hands of the governor of Saint Peter and Saint Paul."

Every heart that is capable of humane emotions will respect this labour infinitely beyond either the magnitude or the importance of its effects, and will gladly applaud the virtuous sentiment that prompts generous minds, in defiance of the narrow and perishable distinction of name and nation, to reverence the kindred excellence and the common lot of their fellow creatures.--E.

[41] Every reader will be pleased to learn, that Krusenstern bears ample testimony to the general accuracy of Captain King's drawings and descriptions of the bay, &c. This intimation is probably sufficient for most persons, without any special exemplification of the coincidences betwixt these two writers.--F.