Table of Contents

Special Issue
Vitus Bering: The Discoverer of Bering Strait
by Peter Lauridsen (1889)

Introduction to American Edition

Translator’s Preface

Author’s Preface

Part I. Bering’s First Expedition

Chapter I. Russia and England in the Work of Arctic Exploration—Vitus Bering’s Rank as an Explorer

Chapter II. Bering’s Nativity—Norwegians and Danes in the Service of Peter the Great—Founding of the Russian Navy

Chapter III. Plans for Bering’s First Expedition—Peter the Great’s Desire to Know the Extent of His Empire—The Northeast Passage

Chapter IV. Bering’s Knowledge of Siberian Geography—Terrors of Traveling in Siberia—The Expedition Starts Out—The Journey from St. Petersburg to the Pacific

Chapter V. The Building of the Gabriel—The Discovery of Bering Strait

Chapter VI. The Task Assigned by Peter the Great Accomplished—History of the Cartography of East Siberia—Captain Cook’s Defense of Bering

Chapter VII. Bering’s Winter at the Fort—Indications of an Adjacent Continent—Unsuccessful Search for this Continent—Return to St. Petersburg—General Review of the Results of the First Expedition

Part II. The Great Northern Expedition

Chapter VIII. Bering’s Plans for a Second Expedition—The Greatest Geographical Enterprise Ever Undertaken

Chapter IX. The Great Northern Expedition on Its Way through Siberia—Difficulties and Dangers Encountered and Overcome

Chapter X. Delay of the Expedition Caused by the Death of Lassenius and His Command in the Arctic Regions—Dissatisfaction of the Senate and Admiralty with Bering’s Work

Chapter XI. Final Preparations for the Pacific Expeditions

Part III. The Various Expeditions

Chapter XII. The Arctic Expeditions—The Northeast Passage—Severe Criticisms on Nordenskjöld

Chapter XIII. The Discovery of the Kurile Islands and Japan from the North

Chapter XIV. Preparations for Bering’s Voyage of Discovery to America—Founding of Petropavlovsk—The Brothers de l’isle

Chapter XV. The Discovery of America from the East—Steller Induced to Join the Expedition—The Separation of the St. Peter and the St. Paul

Chapter XVI. Bering’s Place of Landing on the American Coast—Captain Cook’s Uncertainty—The Question Discussed and Definitely Settled

Chapter XVII. Explorations along the American Coast—Steller’s Censure of Bering for Undue Haste—Bering Defended—Dall, the American Writer, Reprimanded—The Return Voyage

Chapter XVIII. The Discovery of the Aleutian Islands—Terrible Hardships of the Voyage—Steller’s Fault-Finding—Bering Confined to His Cabin—Deaths on Board from Exhaustion and Disease—Bering Island Discovered—A Narrow Escape

Chapter XIX. The Stay on Bering Island—Fauna of the Island—A Rich Field for Steller—His Descriptions Immortalize the Expedition—The Sea-Cow—Its Extermination—Nordenskjöld Refuted—Preparations for Wintering—Sad Death of Bering—An Estimate of His Work—Chirikoff’s Return—The Crew of the St. Peter Leave the Island—The Great Northern Expedition Discontinued—Bering’s Reports Buried in Russian Archives—Bering Honored by Cook

Appendix. Bering’s Report to the Admiralty from Okhotsk, Dec. 5, 1737

Endnotes

Notes