Page:Narrative of the extraordinary adventures of four Russian sailors (1).pdf/4

 proper for building a hut, and had actually erected one at some distance from the shore.

This information induced the whole company to resolve on wintering there, if the hut, as they hoped, still existed; for they clearly perceived the eminent danger they were in, and that they must inevitably perish, if they continued in the ship. They dispatched therefore four of the crew, in search of the hut, or any other succour they could meet with. These were Alexis Himkof the mate; Iwan Himkof, his godson; Stephen Scharapof, and Feodeor Wergin. As the shore on which they were to land was uninhabited, it was necessary that they should make some provision for their expedition. They had almost two miles to travel over loose bridges of ice, which being raised by the waves, nndand [sic] driven against each other by the wind, rendered the way equally difficult and dangerous: Prudence therefore forbade their loading themselves too much, least being overburthened, they might sink in betwixt the pieces of ice and perish.

Having thus maturely considered the nature of their undertaking, they provided themselves with a musket, a powder-horn, containing 12 charges of powder, with as many balls, an axe, a small kettle a bag with about 20 pounds of flour, a knife, a