Lawrence Island, but the fog hung like a blanket over the sea as they
passed through the waters now known as Bering Straits. They saw no
continent eastward; and Bering was compelled to return with no
knowledge but that Russia did _not_ extend into America. And yet,
there were definite signs of land eastward of Kamchatka--driftwood,
seaweed, sea-birds. Before setting out for St. Petersburg in 1729, he
had again tried to sail eastward to the Gamaland of the maps, but again
foul weather had driven him back.
It was the old story of the savants and Christopher Columbus in an
earlier day. Bering's conclusions were different from the moonshine of
the schools. There was no "Gamaland" in the sea. There was in the
maps. The learned men of St. Petersburg ridiculed the Danish sailor.
The fog was supposed to have concealed "Gamaland." There was nothing
for Bering but to retire in ignominy or prove his conclusions. He had
arrived in St. Petersburg in March, 1730. He had induced the court to
undertake a second expedition by April of the same year.[9]
{13} And for this second expedition, the court, the senate the
admiralty, and the academy of sciences decided to provide with a lavish
profusion that would dazzle the world with the brilliancy of Russian
exploits.
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