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[2]
[Illustration: A Glacier]
Chirikoff wished to refill his water-casks. Also, he was ambitious to do
what the scientists cursed Bering for not doing off St. Elias--explore
thoroughly the land newly found. The long-boat was lowered with Abraham
Dementieff and ten armed men. The crew was supplied with muskets, a
brass cannon, and provisions for several days. Chirikoff arranged a
simple code of signals with the men--probably a column of smoke, or
sunlight thrown back by a tin mirror--by which he could know if all went
well. Then, with a cheer, the first Russians to put foot on the soil of
America bent to the oar and paddled swiftly away from the _St. Paul_ for
the shadow of the forested mountains etched from the inland shore. The
long-boat seemed smaller as the distance from the _St. Paul_ increased.
Then men and boat disappeared behind an {48} elbow of land. A flash of
reflected light from the hidden shore; and Chirikoff knew the little band
of explorers had safely landed. The rest of the crew went to work
putting things shipshape on the _St. Paul_.


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