During the courfe of my refearches I was informed,
that a treatife in the German language, publifhed at
Hamburg and Leipfic in 1776, contained a full and
exadt narrative of the Ruffian voyages, from 1745 to
1770
As the author has not prefixed his name, I ffiould
have paid little attention to an anonymous publication,
if I had not been affured, from very good authority, that
the work in queftion was compiled from the original
journals. Not refting however upon this intelligence, I
took the liberty of applying to Mr. Muller himfelf, who,
by order of the Emprefs, had arranged the fame jo u r nals,
from which the anonymous author is faid to
have drawn his materials. Previous to my application,
Mr. Muller had compared the treatife with the original
papers; and he favoured me with the following
ftrong tefiimony to its exadlnefs and authenticity':
“ Vous ferès bien de traduire pour l’ufage de vos com-
“ patriotes le petit livre fur les illes fituées entre le Kamt-
“ chatka et l’Amerique. Il n’y a point de doute, que
“ l’auteur n’ait été pourvu de bons mémoires, et qu’il ne
‘1 s’en foitfervi fidèlement. J’ai confronté le livre avec les
* The title o f the book is, Neue Nachrichten von denen Néuendeck
ten Infuln in der See zwifchen Afîa und Amerika ans mitgetheilten Ur-
kunden und Aufzuegen verfaffet von J. L. S.
“ originaux.’’
“ originaux.” Supported therefore by this very refpec-
table authority, I confidered this treatife as a performance
of the higheft credit, and well worthy of being more
generally known and perufed. 1 have accordingly, in
the firft part of the prefent publication, fubmitted a tranf-
lation of it to the reader’s candour; ' and added occafional
notes to fuch paflages as feemed to require an explanation.
The original is divided into fedtions without any references.
But as it feemed to be more convenient to divide
it into chapters ; and to accompany each chapter
with a fummary of the contents, and marginal references;
I have moulded it into that form, without making however
any alteration in the order of the journals.
The additional intelligence which I procured at
Peterfburg, is thrown into an appendix: It confifts
of fome new information, and of three journals*,
never before given to the public. Amongft
thefe I mull particularly mention that of Krenitzin and
Levaffieff, together with the chart of their voyage,
which was communicated to Dr. Robertfon, by order of
the Emprefs of Ruffia ; and which that juftly admired
hiftorian has, in the politeft and moft obliging manner,
I * The journals of Krenitzin and Levafheff, the lhort .account o f Synd’ s
voyage, and the narrative o f Shalauroff’s expedition, N° I. IX . XI.
4 permitted