AJ-099: Steller, Sea Voyage to America (1741-1742) - 0049 |
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34 STELLER'S JOURNAL
Kamchatka.
The coast was everywhere much indented and therefore
provided with numerous bays and inlets close to the
mainland. 61
Once having determined to tell the truth and
be impartial in all things, I must not fail to mention one
circumstance which perhaps may not escape the notice of the
high authorities but may receive an 'interpretation
different from the actual facts.It can easily be imagined
how happy every one was when land was , finally sighted;
nobody failed to congratulate the Captain Commander, whom
the glory for the discovery mostly concerned. He, however,
received it all not only very indifferently and without
particular pleasure, but in the presence of all he even
shrugged his shoulders while looking at the land. Had the
Commander survived and had he intended to take any action
against his officers because of their misdoings, they would
have been ready to point to his conduct then as evidence of
his evilminded disposition. But the good Captain , Commander
was much superior to his officers in looking into the
future, and in the cabin he expressed himself to me and Mr.
Plenisner'as follows: ""We think now we have accomplished
everything, and many go about greatly inflated, but they do
not consider where we have reached land, how far we are from
home, and what may yet happen; who knows but that perhaps
trade' winds 61 may arise, which may prevent us from
returning? We do not know this country; nor are we provided
with supplies for a wintering."" -Now that we were close to
land it was great fun to listen to the conflicting
expressions of great self-conceit and expectations of future
reward and pathetic effusions. Some would at once
make
for the shore and search for a harbor. Others
represented this as
very dangerous. However, everybody
acted for himself, and no
one made any representations to
the Captain Commander.
eo The MS reads: ""and therefore
provided with many islands close to the mainland and with
numerous bays and inlets in the mainland it self ""
ol In
the sense of persistent winds (see also footnote 144, SeCond
paragraph); in the present case, persistent westerly
headwinds.
Object Description
| Document Number | AJ-099 |
| Document URL | http://www.americanjourneys.org/aj-099/ |
| Document Title | Steller's Journal of the Sea Voyage from Kamchatka to America and Return on the Second Expedition, 1741-1742 |
| Author | Steller, Georg Wilhelm, 1709-1746 |
| Contributor | Golder, Frank Alfred, 1877-1929 (editor); Stejneger, Leonhard, 1851-1943 (translator) |
| Document Source | Golder, F.A. (editor). Bering's Voyages: An Account of the Efforts of the Russians to Determine the Relation of Asia and America. (New York: American Geographical Society, 1925). Volume 2. |
| Series | American Geographical Society. Research Series No. 2 |
| Electronic Publisher | Wisconsin Historical Society |
| Electronic Publication Date | 2003 |
| Print / Download PDF Version | http://www.americanjourneys.org/aj-099/print/ |
| Read Background | http://www.americanjourneys.org/aj-099/summary/ |
| Genre | journal; travel narrative; letter; translation |
| Language | English |
| Region / Country | Northwest & Hawaii |
| State / Province | Alaska; |
| Event Date | 1741-1742 |
| Expedition / Settlement | Bering's Second Expedition, 1741-1742 |
| Ethnicity | Russian; Indian; |
| Indian Tribe | Aleuts; |
| Key Persons & Places | Mount St. Elias; Kayak Island; Shumaggin Island; Bering Island; Mt. Stellar; Kamchatka; |
| Encounters | arrival / landing; contact / meeting; |
| Social Relations | communication; Indian-white relations; white attitudes; |
| Life Stages | death; |
| Daily Life | food & water; health & illness; housing & furnishings; jewelry & adornment; tools & implements; worklife; |
| Religion & Beliefs | Indian practices; |
| Politics | governance & laws; |
| Economics | hunting; |
| Science & Technology | biology; botany; cartography; navigation; transportation; |
| Topography | coasts; forests; islands; mountains; oceans; |
| Climate | cold weather; snow; storms; |
| Plants | water plants; fruits; |
| Animals | mammals; fish & marine life; birds; |
| Digital Format | xml |
| Digital Identifier | AJ-099 |
| Copyright & Access | © Copyright 2003 by the Wisconsin Historical Society (Madison, Wisconsin). For further information see http://www.americanjourneys.org/rights |
Description
| Document Number | AJ-099 |
| Document URL | http://www.americanjourneys.org/aj-099/ |
| Document Title | Steller's Journal of the Sea Voyage from Kamchatka to America and Return on the Second Expedition, 1741-1742 |
| Author | Steller, Georg Wilhelm, 1709-1746 |
| Contributor | Golder, Frank Alfred, 1877-1929 (editor); Stejneger, Leonhard, 1851-1943 (translator) |
| Document Page | 35 |
| Document Source | Golder, F.A. (editor). Bering's Voyages: An Account of the Efforts of the Russians to Determine the Relation of Asia and America. (New York: American Geographical Society, 1925). Volume 2. |
| Series | American Geographical Society. Research Series No. 2 |
| Electronic Publisher | Wisconsin Historical Society |
| Electronic Publication Date | 2003 |
| Print / Download PDF Version | http://www.americanjourneys.org/aj-099/print/ |
| Read Background | http://www.americanjourneys.org/aj-099/summary/ |
| Genre | journal; travel narrative; |
| Page Type | text |
| Language | English |
| Region / Country | Northwest & Hawaii |
| State / Province | Alaska; |
| Event Date | 1741-1742 |
| Expedition / Settlement | Bering's Second Expedition, 1741-1742 |
| Topography | forests; mountains; islands; |
| Digital Format | jpeg |
| Digital Identifier | AJ-099-0049 |
| Copyright & Access | © Copyright 2003 by the Wisconsin Historical Society (Madison, Wisconsin). For further information see http://www.americanjourneys.org/rights |
| Full Text |
34 STELLER'S JOURNAL Kamchatka. The coast was everywhere much indented and therefore provided with numerous bays and inlets close to the mainland. 61 Once having determined to tell the truth and be impartial in all things, I must not fail to mention one circumstance which perhaps may not escape the notice of the high authorities but may receive an 'interpretation different from the actual facts.It can easily be imagined how happy every one was when land was , finally sighted; nobody failed to congratulate the Captain Commander, whom the glory for the discovery mostly concerned. He, however, received it all not only very indifferently and without particular pleasure, but in the presence of all he even shrugged his shoulders while looking at the land. Had the Commander survived and had he intended to take any action against his officers because of their misdoings, they would have been ready to point to his conduct then as evidence of his evilminded disposition. But the good Captain , Commander was much superior to his officers in looking into the future, and in the cabin he expressed himself to me and Mr. Plenisner'as follows: ""We think now we have accomplished everything, and many go about greatly inflated, but they do not consider where we have reached land, how far we are from home, and what may yet happen; who knows but that perhaps trade' winds 61 may arise, which may prevent us from returning? We do not know this country; nor are we provided with supplies for a wintering."" -Now that we were close to land it was great fun to listen to the conflicting expressions of great self-conceit and expectations of future reward and pathetic effusions. Some would at once make for the shore and search for a harbor. Others represented this as very dangerous. However, everybody acted for himself, and no one made any representations to the Captain Commander. eo The MS reads: ""and therefore provided with many islands close to the mainland and with numerous bays and inlets in the mainland it self "" ol In the sense of persistent winds (see also footnote 144, SeCond paragraph); in the present case, persistent westerly headwinds. |