mbe.
Impenetrable woods lined the mountains to the very shore. Great trunks
of uprooted trees swept past the ship continually. Even as the clouds
cleared, leaving vast forests and mountain torrents and snowy peaks
visible, a hazy film of intangible gloom seemed to settle over the
shadowy harbor.[2]

[Illustration: A Glacier]

Chirikoff wished to refill his water-casks. Also, he was ambitious to do
what the scientists cursed Bering for not doing off St. Elias--explore
thoroughly the land newly found. The long-boat was lowered with Abraham
Dementieff and ten armed men. The crew was supplied with muskets, a
brass cannon, and provisions for several days. Chirikoff arranged a
simple code of signals with the men--probably a column of smoke, or
sunlight thrown back by a tin mirror--by which he could know if all went
well. Then, with a cheer, the first Russians to put foot on the soil of
America bent to the oar and paddled swiftly away from the _St. Paul_ for
the shadow of the forested mountains etched from the inland shore. The
long-boat seemed smaller as the distance from the _St. Paul_ increased.
Then men and boat disappeared behind an {48} elbow of land. A flash of
reflected light from the hidden shore; and Chirikoff knew the little band
of explorers had safely landed. The rest of the crew went to work
putting things shipshape on the _St. Paul_. The day passed with more
safety signals from the shore. The crew of the _St. Paul_ slept sound
out in mid-harbor unsuspicious of danger. Another day passed, and
another night. Not so many signals! Had the little band of Russians
gone far inland for water, and the signals been hidden by the forest
gloom? A wind was singing in the rigging--threatening a landward gale
that might carry the _St. Paul_ somewhat nearer those rocky shores than
the Russians could wish. Chirikoff sent a sailor spying from the lookout
of the highest yard-arm. No signals at all this day; nor the next day;
nor the next! The _St. Paul_ had only one other small boat. Fearing the
jolly-boat had come to grief among the rocks and counter-currents,
Chirikoff bade Sidor Savelief, the bo'swain, and six armed sailors,
including carpenters to repair damages, take the remaining boat and go to
Dementieff's rescue. The strictest orders were given that both boats
return at once. Barely had the second boat rounded the elbow of shore
where the first boat had disappeared when a great column of smoke burst