Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Chapter XVIII.
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Islands, situated east of Attu. These islands, which to
them appeared as one, were called St. Abraham Island.
According to the ship’s journal they were seen at ten
o’clock in the morning at a distance of six miles toward
the west, and at noon ten miles in a direction W. S. W.
It is evident that the St. Peter sailed north of these
islands, but as the latitude on that day was determined as
52° 31’, at least 45’ too far south, and as the ship
undoubtedly on the 29th and 30th of October passed the Blizhni
group (the Nearer Aleutians) it is more than probable
that the strait between the most westerly of the Semichi
Islands and Attu was seen from the ship’s deck, although
the officers do not mention this island in the journal, but
simply indicate it on the chart. It is, however, referred
to by both Müller and Steller. The most westerly of the
Semichi Islands and Attu must be the former’s Deception
Islands. Steller applies all of his acuteness of mind to
show that they were the first two Kuriles. Nothing shows
better than this assertion how confused Steller was;
hence his unsparing attacks on Waxel, and his base
insinuations, are not of the least moment. “Betrayed
and sold by two unscrupulous leaders,” he says, “we
sailed, after October 31, in a northerly direction from the
51st to the 56th parallel!” How unreasonable! They
were, already on the 30th, north of the 53d parallel. A
sharp southwest wind was blowing, several deaths were
occurring daily, the helmsmen were conducted to the
wheel by companions so deathly sick that they could
scarcely walk, the ship’s rigging and sails were fast giving
way, the weather was raw and damp, the nights dark and
long, and all attempts at the determination of latitude
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