Vitus Bering: the Discoverer of Bering Strait

CONTENTS.

PART I. BERING'S FIRST EXPEDITION.
Lieut. Schwatka's Introduction	vii
Translator's Preface	xii
Author's Preface	xv
Chapter I.
Russia and England in the work of Arctic exploration.—Vitus Bering's rank as an explorer	3
Chapter II.
Bering's nativity.—Norwegians and Danes in the service of Peter the Great.—Founding of the Russian navy	6
Chapter III.
Plans for Bering's First Expedition.—Peter the Great's desire to know the extent of his empire.—The Northeast passage	12
Chapter IV.
Bering's knowledge of Siberian geography.—Terrors of traveling in Siberia.—The expedition starts out.—The journey from St. Petersburg to the Pacific	19
Chapter V.
The building of the Gabriel.—The discovery of Bering Strait	29
Chapter VI.
The task assigned by Peter the Great accomplished.—History of the cartography of East Siberia.—Captain Cook's defense of Bering	35
Chapter VII.
Bering's winter at the fort.—Indications of an adjacent continent.—Unsuccessful search for this continent.—Return to St. Petersburg.—General review of the results of the First Expedition	50
PART II. THE GREAT NORTHERN EXPEDITION.
Chapter VIII.
Bering's plans for a second expedition.—The greatest geographical enterprise ever undertaken	61
Chapter IX.
The Great Northern Expedition on its way through Siberia.—Difficulties and dangers encountered and overcome	77
Chapter X.
Delay of the expedition caused by the death of Lassenius and his command in the Arctic regions.—Dissatisfaction of the Senate and Admiralty with Bering's work	91
Chapter XI.
Final Preparations for the Pacific expeditions	99
PART III. THE VARIOUS EXPEDITIONS.
Chapter XII.
The Arctic expeditions.—The Northeast passage.—Severe criticisms on NordenskjÖld	107
Chapter XIII.
The discovery of the Kurile Islands and Japan from the north	117
Chapter XIV.
Preparations for Bering's voyage of discovery to America.—Founding of Petropavlovsk.—The brothers De l'Isle	127
Chapter XV.
The discovery of America from the east.—Steller induced to join the expedition.—The separation of the St. Peter and the St. Paul	135
Chapter XVI.
Bering's place of landing on the American coast.—Captain Cook's uncertainty.—The question discussed and definitely settled	143
Chapter XVII.
Explorations along the American coast.—Steller's censure of Bering for undue haste.—Bering defended.—Dall, the American writer, reprimanded.—The return voyage	150
Chapter XVIII.
The discovery of the Aleutian Islands.—Terrible hardships of the voyage.—Steller's fault-finding.—Bering confined to his cabin.—Deaths on board from exhaustion and disease.—Bering Island discovered.—A narrow escape	164
Chapter XIX.
The stay on Bering Island.—Fauna of the island.—A rich field for Steller.—His descriptions immortalize the expedition.—The sea-cow.—Its extermination.—NordenskjÖld refuted.—Preparations for wintering.—Sad death of Bering.—An estimate of his work.—Chirikoff's return.—The crew of the St. Peter leave the Island.—The Great Northern Expedition discontinued.—Bering's reports buried in Russian archives.—Bering honored by Cook	174
APPENDIX.
Bering's Report to the Admiralty from Okhotsk	195
Notes	Clyx.com