Upwards of twenty years elapsed after the voyage of Vancouver, before
another attempt was made to find out a passage from the north Pacific into
the Atlantic Ocean. This attempt proceeded from Russia: not however from
the government, but an individual. Count Romanzoff, a Russian nobleman, is
well known for his liberal and judicious encouragement of every thing which
can promote useful knowledge, especially in what relates to the improvement
and benefit of his country. His first design was to fit out an expedition
to explore the north-west passage by Hudson's Bay or Davis' Straits; but
learning that the British government were making preparations to attempt it
by that route, he changed his plan, and resolved to fit out an expedition
to attempt the discovery of a passage from the eastward.
A ship was accordingly built and equipped, and the command given to
Lieutenant Kotzebue. He sailed from Russia in the autumn of 1815, and on
the 19th of June in the following year he reached Kamschatka. This he left
on the 15th of July and on the 20th of that month, Behring's Islands were
seen to the northward of Cape Prince of Wales. A tract of low land was
ascertained to be an island about seven miles long, and a mile across, in
the widest part: beyond it was a deep inlet running eastward into the
continent. Lieutenant Kotzebue, animated and encouraged by this appearance,
proceeded in a northerly direction, and found that the land continued low,
and tended more to the eastwards.
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