ENPages That Mention Khromchenko
The Chronological History of all the Voyages to the Arctic
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On July 4th, the sloop Good Intent was at latitude 62° 32', longitude east of Greenwich 193° 11', and from it they sighted a high shore extending from SETE to SE, at an approximate distance of 70 miles, but according to the map of [Editor: this is correct spelling for K. here] Mr. Khromchenko, it appears that Cap. Lieut. Shishmarev was only a distance of 45 miles from it.
Captain-Lieutenant Shishmarev, comparing it with all known maps, saw that this shore was located at a distance of 245 versts [a little more than 16 miles] from the mainland shore of America, and therefore acknowledged it very rightly as a new discovery. Wishing to survey this new unknown land, he directed his way toward it, but having gone 15 miles, he found the depth of the sea five sazhens, and for that reason did not dare to sail farther. Below we shall have occasion to talk about this new shore again.9
From this place, Captain Lieutenant Shishmarev went to St. Lawrence Island and surveying the northern part of it, collected much curious information about the inhabitants. On July 11, the sloop Good Intent entered St. Lawrence Bay and Cap. Lieut. Shishmarev compiled a very interesting description concerning the manners, customs, and character of the Chukchi people.10 It is noteworthy that he saw there two rifles, which they had received from an American brig [apparently the Pedler], which had come there because the Russians trading with them in Izhiga and Nizhne-Kovymsk [Lower Kolyma ] may not sell them firearms.
Until July 21st, Captain Lieutenant Shishmarev sailed
Dorothy Jean Ray, letter, to Edward Connery Lathem, 1970 July 9
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Alaska published before 1868 (Yale 1969), but I found that he discusses this book under his No. 88, page 312. However, he says that this is Wickersham's No. 6585 5685, but in checking the Wickersham, I find that 6585 refers to Berkh's Aleutian Island history. Thereofre, LadaMocarski's Bibliography is the first reference to this publication, although I vaguely recall a reference in some German account to something like "Berkh's journeys to the north" -- I can't dredge it up at the moment. The Library of Congress does not have Volume II of this history--only Volume I, which has only a little applicable [attn for] Alaska.
Therefore, my entire project is this: Combine Berkh's summary of the expedition, Hillsen's account of the Good Intent (1820-1821), Shishmarev's observations of the Chukchi (1821), and the short progress reports into one publication about this expedition. It will be tied together with my bibliographic observations and an introduction and notes that will place it historically and ethnographically, geographically, etc. with northern affairs at that time, including the overlapping journeys of Khromchenko and Etolin in 1821 and 1822.
I have just finished this chapter of Russian exploration so all of the material is still fresh in mind.
I shall forward the pages and translations as soon as Mrs. Josephson and I have been able to get together, hopefully this week-end.
With best of wishes, and many thanks,
Sincerely yours, Dorothy Jean Ray Dorothy Jean Ray
Journey of the sloop Good Intent to explore the Asiatic and American shores of Bering Strait, 1819 to 1822. Part two
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Thank God, the epidemic did not develop on shore or among our crews.
A few days before our arrival at Novo-Arkhangelsk, the new chief manager of the American colonies, Fleet Captain of the Second Rank, Muravev arrived there in company of Midshipman Khramchenko [ Khromchenko ] in capacity of captain of the port, Secretary Gribanov, and Physician Volkov. Thus, there gathered a rather large company of officers, endeavoring to compensate by mutual discussion the boredom from the eternally bad weather and the distance from any educated society. All of us, except those who were on duty, were always together either on the ships or at the commander's, occupying the biggest house in the whole fort. For variety, we presented little plays, gave masquerades, balls, and made excursions to the surrounding shores of the harbor and to the hot springs. In this manner, time passed rather pleasantly. But despite all that, we, as has already been mentioned, were mighty glad when we left Sitka.
During our six-weeks stay, we did not have a single clear day; there was an almost constant drizzle. According to the old timers, such weather continues almost the whole year except for two winter months, but even then, it also becomes damp with wet winds. Freezing below eight degrees [Reaumur] is rare, so that the harbor almost never freezes, and navigation continues the year round.
Fort Novo-Arkhangelsk, founded in 1804,1 is situated on