Three Accounts of the Vasil'ev-Shismarev Expedition of 1819-1822

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the coast of America lying between Capes Newenham and Darby. He told him to join the sloop Discovery on July 20 at Stuart Island, but if Lieut. Avinov had not succeeded in finishing the survey of the mentioned shore by that time, he was permitted to remain there [at Stuart Island ] until August 15, and if he did not meet Cap. Vasilev in Norton Sound then, to winter on Unalashka Island or at the harbor of Petropavlovsk.

On July 6, the boat went on its appointed way, and Cap. Vasilev, going at the same time to Cape Stephens, discovered, on the 11th, a coast not indicated on the maps. Coming to a depth of eight sazhens he cast anchor, and going ashore with the interpreters, was informed that they were standing off an island called Nunivok [Nunivak Island], located not far from the mainland coast of America, and which is inhabited, and that until now its inhabitants had had no contact whatsoever with Europeans. The latitude of the place of anchorage was 59° 54'; longitude, 193° 17' east of Greenwich. Cap. Vasilev named this island after the name of his sloop, Otkrytie [Discovery].

On June [July] 12, Cap. Vasilev weighed anchor, and directed his course to Norton Sound. Arriving at Cape Darby on the 19th, he remained there at anchor for 24 hours, and since Lieut. Avinov had not arrived with the boat, Cap. Vasilev sailed north. At latitudes 68° 01' and 68° 21' Cap. Vasilev sighted two noticeable capes, which Captains Cook and Clerke

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strong that they broke three-inch thick planks.

On August 9th, Captain Vasilev sighted Cape Lisburne and the coast of Asia. On this date he says, "We came out of the Arctic Sea."

On August 13th, Captian Vasilev arrived at Cape Darby, and learning that Lieut. Avinov had not been there, went toward Stuart Island. Casting anchor there he sent Lieut. Boil ashore in an armed longboat. This officer, returning on the 16th, reported, "The inhabitants who had come to this island from Cape Stephens stated that they had never seen foreigners, and that no vessel had ever visited them. To the south of Cape Stephens," they continued, "flows into the sea a large river, Kuiukht-pak [Yukon], from which shoals extend far out."

"Not finding the boat," says Cap. Vasilev, "we weighed anchor, and taking a course W went to a depth of seven and eight sazhens. Having rounded the shoals we bore up to the eastern side of St. Lawrence Island, passed on the north side of [St.] Matthew Island and among the Commander, Bering, and Attu islands. On September 8 we arrived at the port of Petropavlovsk, where we found the sailing boat.

Avinov's Voyage, 1821

Lieutenant Avinov reported to Cap. Vas. that on July 6th he sailed from Bristol Bay toward Cape Newenham. A strong wind and heavy seas forced him to head for Hagenmeister [Hagemeister] Bay. Coming out of it on the 19th he surveyed the shore to Cape Newenham, and from it, northward. On the