In the winter of 1739, Georg Steller received word from Empress Anna of Russia that he was to embark on a secret Expedition to the far reaches of Siberia as a member of the Great Northern Expedition.
The Empress\'s instructions were detailed, from requests for a preserved whale brain to observing the child-rearing customs of local peoples, and Steller met the task.
While searching for economic possibilities and strategic advantages, Steller was to send back descriptions of everything he saw.
In the winter of 1739, Georg Steller received word from Empress Anna of Russia that he was to embark on a secret Expedition to the far reaches of Siberia as a member of the Great Northern Expedition