Chapter I: Front Matter

Plans for Bering's First Expedition.--Peter the Great's desire to
know the extent of his empire.--The Northeast passage 12

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 19

CHAPTER V.

The building of the Gabriel.--The discovery of Bering Strait 29

CHAPTER VI.

The task assigned by Peter the Great accomplished.--History of
the cartography of East Siberia.--Captain Cook's defense of
Bering 35

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 50

PART II.

THE GREAT NORTHERN EXPEDITION.

CHAPTER VIII.

Bering's plans for a second expedition.--The greatest geographical
enterprise ever undertaken 61

CHAPTER IX.

The Great Northern Expedition on its way through Siberia.--Difficulties
and dangers encountered and overcome 77

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 91

CHAPTER XI.

Final Preparations for the Pacific expeditions 99

PART III.

THE VARIOUS EXPEDITIONS.

CHAPTER XII.

The Arctic expeditions.--The Northeast passage.--Severe criticisms
on Nordenskjöld 107

CHAPTER XIII.

The discovery of the Kurile Islands and Japan from the north 117

CHAPTER XIV.

Preparations for Bering's voyage of discovery to America.--Founding
of Petropavlovsk.--The brothers De l'Isle 127

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 135

CHAPTER XVI.

Bering's place of landing on the American coast.--Captain
Cook's uncertainty.--The question discussed and definitely
settled 143

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 150

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 164

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 174

APPENDIX.

BERING'S REPORT TO THE ADMIRALTY FROM OKHOTSK 195
NOTES 202
INDEX 217

MAPS.