The map of the Academy shows the influence of those who discredited the near approach of America to eastern Siberia; notwithstanding the explorations of Deshneff, Gvosdeff and Synd, the American shore of Bering Strait has disappeared altogether. The eastern portion of the Chukchi Peninsula is indented by a host of hypothetical inlets, and defended by an unrecognizable archipelago of nameless islands. The far-stretching chain of islands, among which Bering's second expedition was so long entangled, excepting those confirmed by Krenitzen and Levasheff (who sailed far north of the southern arc of the chain) is also absent. Excepting that the fictitious peninsula north from Chukchi land is effaced, the map in its main features for this region is less accurate than that of Bering, and does not compare very favorably with that of Müller. And yet but shortly after its publication, the explorations of Cook and Clerke recorded the facts which should, when published, exalt the memory of the older geographers and scatter the hypotheses which for a time prevailed against them.
Their explorations are included in
"A voyage to the Pacific Ocean, undertaken by the command of his Majesty, for making discoveries in the northern hemisphere, [etc.], performed under the direction of captains Cook, Clerke and Gore, in his Majesty's ships the Resolution and Discovery, in the years 1776-1780. London, for T. Nicol and T. Cadell, 1784-5." 3 volumes 4° and atlas folio.
This is the edition ordered by the Admiralty. Of this celebrated work, said to have been written from the explorers' manuscripts by Bishop Douglas, there have been many editions. In the Bulletin of the Société de Géographie, Paris, 1879, pp. 481-540, is a bibliography by James Jackson.
The most interesting points in regard to Cook's explorations about Bering Strait are comprised on the chart (vol. ii, p. 467) entitled:
"Chart of Norton Sound and of Bherings Strait made by the East Cape of Asia and the west point of America."
On this chart the main features of the coast on either side of the strait are correctly indicated, though several of the inlets and bays are wanting. The Diomedes and Fairway Rock of modern charts are located but left without names, King's Island is named; Arakam was not recognized as an island nor was Point Chaplin (Indian Point) observed. St. Lawrence Island was seen in foggy weather. Its isolated hills connected by very low flat land led Cook into the error of supposing that it comprised several islands, one of which he correctly referred to that named St. Lawrence by Bering and the rest he lumped under the name of Clerke's Islands. A single fictitious island, midway between St. Lawrence and King's appears on the chart, but is not named or mentioned in the text. St. Lawrence Bay is named and discovered. Bering and Müller's Chukotski cape is correctly identified. East Cape is well delineated, and the name Serdze Kamen (Heart-Rock) originally given to a cliff or bluff point at the entrance of Holy Cross Bay is transferred to a point on the Arctic shore of the peninsula. There is a confused and somewhat curious history connected with the use of the names Serdze-Kamen and Chukotski Cape. After the travels of Deshneff, Popoff and others and the reception at various times of information from the natives, it was pretty generally understood among the hunters and traders of this region that the extreme of Asia was a cape or point on or near which the Chukchi dwelt, or which they described, which was not definitely located, and which was vaguely known as the Chukchi Cape or the Cape of the Chukchis, Chukotski Noss in the Russian tongue. Cape Serdze Kamen will be found on the chart of Billings' Voyage. It was the point where the Chukchis successfully defended themselves against the invading Russians who sought to force them to pay tribute. Beyond it, for the Russians all was mysterious Chukchi country with an unknown coast. This cape being their ne plus ultra it is probable that it was more or less confounded by these illiterate and ignorant hunters with the supposed eastern Cape of Asia, otherwise the Cape of the Chukchis as used by Müller. Admit this and it is not difficult to frame an hypothesis which shall account for the confusion, without recourse to the absurd charges with which Lauridsen attempts to soil the reputation of Müller, Steller and others.
When Bering named a cape near which he met a baidar-load of Chukchi who gave him some geographical information (among other things that the coast made a turn after passing it) he called this cape with great propriety the Cape of the Chukchis, as observed by Cook (ii, p. 474) and with no reference to the legendary Cape of the Chukchis above referred to.
But when Müller and others more familiar with the records of the earlier explorers came to make maps, they naturally applied the legendary name to the cape which they supposed to be the eastern end of Asia, and beyond which the coast makes a turn to the west. Müller believing in a great cape or peninsula on the northern coast of the Chukchi country supposed this to be the true Cape Chukotski, and to the eastern Cape of Bering he left the name of Serdze-Kamen, probably knowing little about the original Cape Serdze. And as Bering, by the ambiguity of his journal, gave color to the idea that he had rounded East Cape and pursued the north coast west of it for a few hours before turning homeward, what more natural than that those little acquainted with the region should speak of his turning back from near Serdze-Kamen? Thus Cook, following out the same idea derived from his study of the map and journal in Harris, transferred the name to a point in the latitude at which Bering turned back, on the coast which he supposed him to have surveyed. There is plenty of confusion here but no just ground for supposing malice in it.
A publication which throws much light upon Bering's voyage of 1728 was printed by Vasili Nikolaievich Bergh (or Berkh) a well known writer on geographical matters in connection with Russian history. It is in the Russian language and the title may be translated as follows: