In the year 1747 two vessels sailed from the Kamtchatka river, according to a permission granted by the chancery of Bolcheresk for hunting sea-otters. One was fitted out by Andrew Wsevidoff, and carried forty-six men, besides eight Cossacks: the other belonged to Feodor Cholodiloff, Andrew Tolstyk, and company; and had on board a crew, consisting of forty-one Russians and Kamtchadals, with six Cossacks.

The latter vessel sailed the 20th of October, and was forced, by stress of weather and other accidents, to winter in Beering's Island. From thence they departed May 31st, 1748, and touched at another small island, in order to provide themselves with water and other necessaries. They then steered S.E. for a considerable way without discovering any new islands; and, being in great want of provisions, returned into Kamtchatka river, August 14th, with a cargo of 250 old sea-otter skins, above 100 young ones, and 148 petsi, or Arctic fox-skins, which were all slain upon Beering's Island.

We have no sufficient account of Wsevidoff's voyage. All that is known amounts only to this, that he returned the 25th of July, 1749, after having probably touched upon one of the nearest Aleutian Isles which was uninhabited: his cargo consisted of the skins of 1040 seaotters, and 2000 Arctic foxes.

Emilian Yugoff, a merchant of Yakutsk, obtained from the senate of St. Petersburg the permission of fitting out four vessels for himself and his associates.