Meanwhile, exhausted with fatigue, he sat down on the beach, where he described in his pocket-book some of the more delicate plants he had collected, which he feared might speedily wither, and regaled himself with the excellent water. After waiting for about an hour, he at length received an answer from Bering, telling him to return immediately on board, unless he chose to be left behind; and we can easily imagine the indignation of the disappointed naturalist at this shameful command. On the morning of July 21, Bering, contrary to his custom, appeared on deck, ordered the anchors to be weighed, and gave directions to sail back again on the same course. The continent he had discovered was not even honored with a single visit, so that Steller could not help telling the Russians they had merely come thus far for the purpose of carrying American water to Asia. Any conscientious commander would have continued to sail along the unknown shore, or, considering that the season was already far advanced, would have determined to winter there, and to pursue his discoveries next spring; but, unfortunately for Bering and his companions, the course he adopted proved as disastrous as it was dishonorable. Three months long the ship was tossed about by contrary winds and storms; the islands of the Aleutic chain, though frequently seen through the mists, were but seldom visited; the scurvy broke out among the dispirited, ill-fed crew, their misery increased from day to day, and their joy may be imagined when at length, on November 5, a land was seen which they firmly believed to be Kamchatka--though in reality it was merely the desert of Bering’s Island, situated a hundred miles from that peninsula. Even those who were nearly half dead crept upon deck to enjoy the welcome sight; every one thanked God, and the ignorant officer, convinced that they were at the entrance of the Bay of Avatscha, even named the several mountains; but their mistake soon became apparent when, on rounding a small promontory, some well-known islets were missed. As they had no doubt, however, that the land was really Kamchatka, and the bad weather and the small number of hands fit to do duty rendering it difficult to reach the Gulf of Avatscha, it was resolved to run into the bay that lay before them, and to send notice from thence to Nishne-Kamchatsk of their safe arrival.