With my glass I surveyed the line of coast where the surf was breaking, but was long unable to discover an entering place.

The Ohota river is the only harbor, and entirely inaccessible to a ship like the Variag.
Descending the ship's side after we anchored, I jumped when the boat was falling and went down five or six feet before alighting.

Both hands were blistered as the gang-way ropes passed through them.
Keeping the beacons carefully in line, we rolled over the bar on the top of a high wave, and then followed the river channel to the landing.
Many years ago Ohotsk was the most important Russian port on the waters leading to the Pacific.

Supplies for Kamchatka and Russian America were brought overland from Yakutsk and shipped to Petropavlovsk, Sitka, and other points under Russian control.

Many ships for the Pacific Ocean and Ohotsk sea were built there.