24
The Bulletin
Senate proposing educational opportunities
and agricultural development.
13
Steller described a wide variety of birds, fish
and flora. Of some local interest, it appears
Steller was the first to identify the five
varieties of salmon and to describe their
life cycle. However, what is rarely realized is
that Steller’s studies on scurvy prevention
among the natives preceded James Lind’s
work by at least 13 years.
14
In February 1741, Steller joined Bering
at the port of Petropavlovsk. He shared
Bering’s cabin on the ship St. Peter. They
didn’t set sail until June 4, 1741. They were
accompanied by the ship St. Paul. Steller was
the only Academy of Sciences representative
on board out of a crew of 78.
15
They sailed due east for almost six weeks,
before Steller persuaded Bering was to turn
north. Steller was first to spot land on July
15, 1741. The next day, they landed on
what is now known as Kayak Island.
16
They
found the local natives resembled those on
Kamchatka both physically and culturally.
Steller concluded that these natives must
have migrated from Kamchatka. Steller
identified 144 plants on the Island including
the native raspberry.
17
Steller was also
certain they had reached North America
because he identified the Steller Jay, which
closely resembled the North American jay
that had been widely described, and no
similar jay was found in Siberia.
On July 21, 1741, Bering sailed to return to
Kamchatka. A dispute developed between
Bering and his Russian officers. Bering
wanted to return by the same route they
had arrived; his Russian officers wanted
him to follow his orders from the empress
by following the Alaska coastline westward.
The Russian officers prevailed, and the
empress’s orders were followed.
By this time, the crew was beginning
to suffer from scurvy, and Bering was
suffering among the worst. The naval
officers were convinced fresh air and clean
quarters were the cure and refused Steller’s
treatment with herbs. Steller also was at
odds with the naval officers over water
sources. The officers wanted to use nearby
brackish ponds and Steller recommended
more distant springs. Steller became an
outcast among the officers.
Steller, his assistants, and servants were
the only ones who escaped scurvy. The
sharp contrast between the health of Steller
and his associates and the remainder of
the crew converted some of the officers
and they too began using Steller’s plants.
However, the supply was limited and Steller
was never granted time to gather more.
18
By mid-September, the weather had
become stormy. On September 30, 1741,
the wind blew them out to sea. They sailed
aimlessly until finally sighting land on
November 4. They found a shallow cove
and dropped anchor. However the wind
was too strong and snapped the anchor
chain and blew the ship aground.
Steller and his assistants moved ashore and
dug underground shelters of the type used
by the Itelmen as winter quarters. Steller
quickly confirmed they were on an Island.
19
The waters around the Island teemed
with sea otters and the island itself had a
huge population of blue foxes who actively
competed with the humans for food. Steller
set about identifying the plants and animals
of the island. He was the first to identify
the Steller Sea Cow, a large manatee like
the previously identified Florida manatee.
20
Although Steller, his assistants and a few
other of the crew were ashore, most were
still living on board. Those still alive were
surviving on sea otters, sea lions and sea
cows. Bering, suffering horribly from
scurvy, finally moved ashore and into
Steller’s shelter. Steller treated his scurvy
13. Spanberg too wanted better treatment of the Itelmen.
14. He listed the following among the plants the natives used to treat scurvy: wild garlic, cloud berries, Crow
berries, scrub pine tea, upland cranberry, bitter cress, and Cochlearia grass.
15. Only 16 of whom were seamen; 25 were soldiers of various sorts.
16. Close to present-day Yakutat.
17. Bering and the crew offered no help. They considered his work as useless.
18. By this time they were probably in the vicinity of Unalaska.
19. The naval officers were convinced they were on Kamchatka and it was several months before they confirmed
they were on an island, and they didn’t enter it in their log until April 7, 1742.
20. A large delicious source of food, the Steller Sea Cow was wiped out by early Russian settlers.
A 1751 sea otter illustration by Georg Wilhelm Steller.
Georg wilhelm steller, cont.
