18', And Being Informed By The
Inhabitants That Beyond It The Coast Bended To The West, He Resolved To
Alter His Course To The South.
This was accordingly done, but he did not
discover the opposite coast of America; several circumstances were noticed,
however,
Which indicated that there was land to the east, at no great
distance, such as floating pine branches and other species of plants,
unknown on the coast of Asia; these were always driven ashore when easterly
winds prevailed. The inhabitants also informed him, that, in very clear
weather, they were able, from the top of their highest mountains, to descry
land to the east.
Encouraged by these circumstances, Behring resolved to undertake a second
voyage from Kamschatka: in this voyage he was accompanied by a Russian,
named Tchirikoff. They steered east, and first sought for land, which was
said to have been discovered between the latitude of 40 deg. and 50 deg.; but
finding none, they separated, and steering further north, the Russian
discovered the continent of America in about 56-1/2 deg., and Behring 2 deg.
further north. On his return, the latter was wrecked in the island which
bears his name, where he died.
About four years after the death of this navigator, which happened in 1741,
the sea between Asia and America was visited by some Russian merchants, who
obtained permission from the government to make discoveries, hunt and
trade; the vessels employed for this purpose were formed of a few boards
fastened together with leathern thongs; yet in these were discovered the
Aleutian Islands.
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