Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Chapter XIV.
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any great importance to De l’Isle’s directions which were
based on antiquated assumptions, but on the other hand,
they had neither moral nor practical independence enough
to take their own course. The government laws, and
especially the Senate decrees, bound their hands. They
were to submit all important measures to the action of
a commission, and were far from being sovereign
commanders in any modern sense. Under these
circumstances they found it advisable, and possibly necessary, to
act in accordance with the opinion of these learned
scholars, so as to be able later to defend themselves in every
particular against the criticisms of the Academy. Hence
the commission resolved that the expedition should first
find the northern coast of Gamaland, follow this coast in
an easterly direction to America, and turn back in time to
be at home in Avacha Bay by the end of September. In
this way their ships were carried far into the Pacific and
away from the Aleutian chain of islands, which, like the
thread of Ariadne, would speedily have led them to the
western continent.
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