rs, threatening to attack them,
and it was with difficulty that they were enabled to reach the boats and
return on board ship. The next day, however, some chiefs arrived on the
spot; and the day after Mr King, who commanded the party, going on
shore, found the whole distance to the watering-place marked with little
white flags, and the English were not in the slightest degree molested.
While the ships were at this island it was ascertained that some goats
which were left there at the first visit of the English soon increased
in number, and had bidden fair to stock the island, when a quarrel took
place about them, and the animals were killed. A contest between two
tribes or families was still going on about the matter, in which several
people had lost their lives.

It was now March 12, and preparations were made for quitting the islands
and proceeding on the search for a passage, through Behring's Straits,
into the Atlantic. There was, from the first, very little prospect of
its success. Captain Clerke was sinking rapidly with consumption, and
every one but himself knew that his days were numbered. Still, in spite
of his weakness, he kept up his spirits in a wonderful manner, and
though fully aware that the cold climate he was going to encounter would
prove injurious to his health, this did not prevent him from attempting
to carry out the instructions of his late chief to the utmost of his
power.

On March 15 the ships left the Sandwich group, and steered for the
harbour of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The ships encountered very
severe weather on approaching the coast of Siberia. The rigging and
decks were so completely coated with ice that it was not without great
difficulty the ropes could be handled, and the crew sensibly felt the
change from the warm temperature to which they had been so long
accustomed. To add to their difficulties, the Resolution sprang a
serious leak, and split her second suit of sails. As the decks below
were deluged with water, the only place in which the sail-makers could
work was in the cabin of their dying captain. At length, on April 28,
the harbour of Saint Peter and Saint Paul was reached. The town was
found to consist of about thirty miserable log huts, and small conical
buildings raised on poles. The commandant was a sergeant, with a few
men under him. The appearance of the expedition at first caused great
consternation among the inhabitants. This arose from the circumstanc