41. Part II. is based upon the works of Von Baer, Middendorff, and Sokoloff.
42. General List of Russian Naval Officers, St. Petersburg, 1882.
43. Zapiski, IX., 250.—Beiträge zur Kenntniss, etc., Introduction.—Sokoloff: "Chirikoff's Voyage to America," St. Petersburg, 1849.—Bering's wife was suspected of having acquired goods illegally, but there is no proof of this. When she, in the year 1738, returned from Siberia, the Senate, influenced by the numerous denunciations of her conduct, issued an ukase that her goods should be examined. At the inspection on the borders of Siberia it was found that she had a suspiciously large quantity of furs and other things. She rather overawed the authorities, however, and returned to St. Petersburg unmolested. Sokoloff gives no information as to whether the furs were illegally obtained or not. She was very much younger than Bering; in 1744, on making application for a widow's pension, she gave her age as 39 years.
44. The author is indebted to Admiral Th. Wessalgo for the following archival accounts.
The Admiralty to Captain Bering, Feb. 26, 1736.
Your expedition is a very protracted one, and apparently it is being conducted somewhat carelessly on your part, which is shown by the fact that it has taken nearly two years to reach Yakutsk. Moreover, it appears from your report that your stay in Yakutsk will be too long; in fact, there seems to be no reason to hope that you will succeed in getting any farther. As a consequence of all this the Admiralty is extremely dissatisfied with your arrangements, and will not let matters go on without an investigation. If in the future any negligence whatever occurs, an investigation will be instituted against you for insubordination to the decrees of His Imperial Highness and for negligence in an affair of state.
The Admiralty to Captain Bering, Jan. 31, 1737.
Inasmuch as you—in spite of the express orders of the Admiralty, wherein it is stated that your expedition is protracted and is carelessly conducted—have not reported to the Admiralty the cause of your delay, and say nothing about when you intend to leave Yakutsk, you are hereby deprived of your supplemental salary, and will receive only the regular salary, until you send such a report, and until you continue on the expedition which has been entrusted to you.
The Admiralty to Captain, Bering, Jan. 23, 1738.