"Voyages from Asia to America, for completing the discoveries of the
northwest coast of America. To which is prefixed, a summary of the
Voyages made by the Russians on the Frozen Sea, in search of a
northeast passage. Serving as an explanation of a map of the Russian
discoveries, published by the Academy of Sciences at Petersburgh,
[etc.] London: T. Jefferys, 1764," viii, 120 pp. 4°, four maps.
A French translation by Dumas, with the author's initials misprinted G.
P. instead of G. F., was printed at Amsterdam in 1766. It consisted of
two volumes, 18mo, with a map. A Danish translation, by Morten
Hallager, was issued at Copenhagen in 1784, as a portion of a volume
relating to northern explorations. Bibliographers seem to have been
puzzled by the discrepancy of initials, not recognizing that the S. in
Jefferys' volume stood for a title and not a name. Another work
important in its collection of facts bearing upon the general question
of the explorations eastward by the Russians, was published by the
archdeacon of Wilts, Rev. William Coxe in 1780. This was followed by a
second edition during the same year. A third edition accompanied by a
Supplement of 57 pages was printed in 1787 and a fourth in 1803. There
were two apparently distinct translations of the book printed at Paris
in 1781, and a German edition at Frankfurt and Leipzig in 1783. The
third edition which is the best and most correct appeared both in
octavo and quarto form, and is that to which reference is made in this
paper. It is entitled:
"Account of the Russian discoveries between Asia and America. To which
are added the Conquest of Siberia, and the history of the transactions
and commerce between Russia and China, [etc.]. London: T. Cadell,
1787."
410 pp. 8° [or 4°] with four charts and one plate; to which is added,
consecutively paged:
"A comparative view of the Russian discoveries with those made by
Captains Cook and Clerke, and a sketch of what remains to be
ascertained by future navigators. London: T. Cadell, 1787." 3 l. unp.,
417-456 pp. 8°.
The latter was also separately issued. Among the maps contained in this
work of Coxe's are a reduced copy of the general map of Russia issued
by the Imperial Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, 1776, and a chart
of Synd's Voyage toward Chukotski Noss.
The latter is the only chart of Synd's voyage (1764-1768) which is
accessible, and it is vouched for as authentic by Dr. Coxe. Compared
with later charts it is, of course, extremely imperfect yet there is in
it enough resemblance to the truth to enable us to recognize what was
intended in many instances. In the northeastern part of the chart, the
latitudes are exaggerated and the longitudes contracted in a very
erroneous manner. Nevertheless we recognize East Cape, here named
"Prom. Tschukotskoi;" the two islands now called the Diomedes but here
left nameless; a large island, moved eastward out of place, but
doubtless intended for Arakam Island, is called "I. Diomedis;" while
among a crowd of islets (referable to the hills of St. Lawrence Island
seen through a fog and laid down very inaccurately), the name "S.
Diomedis" appears again. The American coast was seen and landed upon;
Cape Prince of Wales and the shore south and east from it are
recognizable. The island of St. Mathew was discovered and named, though
placed a degree too far south. The island of St. Paul in the Pribiloff
group was discovered by Synd, put in its true latitude, and named
Preobrazhenia or Transfiguration Island. It is about seven degrees out
in relative longitude and fourteen in absolute longitude. One cannot
doubt however that it was the island now known as St. Paul when we
recall the fact that there are no other islands than the Pribiloff
group, in that latitude or within that general area of Bering Sea. The
southern Cape of the Chukchi Peninsula, Chukotski Cape of Bering and
Müller is represented two degrees too far south. Preobrazhenia Bay is
not recognizable but the name is transferred to the bight west and
north of Cape Bering of our present charts. This part of the coast was
not however approached by Synd, who spent much time on the coast of
Kamchatka. On his chart this peninsula is represented better than we
should have expected from the rudeness of the rest.
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.