COOK IN THE ANTARCTIC AND IN ALASKA 95 



projecting 1 portion of the berg above the water-line and the ship's 

 bottom was safe. The hole torn in her bows was above the danger 

 line and the adventurers breathed freely once more. 



It became necessary, however, to return to St. John's and repair 

 the ship, after which, on July 28th, her nose was turned northward 

 again, the first sight of the Greenland coast being caught on August 

 3d. On August 7th they entered a snug little harbor where lay the 

 Eskimo settlement of Sukker Toppen (Sugar Loaf), which was 

 presided over by a Danish governor. 



This was their farthest north. They visited the Eskimo, climbed 

 a glacier, gathered specimens of various kinds, had some minor 

 adventures, and then took ship again, hoisted anchor, and steamed 

 for the harbor's mouth, headed north. Suddenly there came a 

 tremendous crash and a frightful sound of ripping timber. The 

 ship had struck with fearful force on some hidden reefs, which tore 

 through her bottom as though it had been of paper. Only that the 

 wound was in the ballast tank, the roof of which acted as a false 

 bottom, the vessel would have gone to the ocean depths at once. 



As it was, they got her to the shore again, and sent out scouts 

 in search of relief, a Yankee fishing vessel, the "Rigel," being found, 

 whose captain agreed to leave his work on the halibut grounds and 

 tow the "Miranda" south. All but the captain and his crew were 

 forced to crowd into very close quarters into the little craft, and off 

 she went, towed by the "Miranda." On the second day out rough 

 weather developed, and at midnight three shrieks from the steamer's 

 whistle gave signal of distress. The rusty top of the ballast tank 

 had given way; the water was oozing through; to keep her afloat 

 was hopeless ; and at day dawn her captain and crew were taken off 

 and the towing rope thrown off. Away went the hapless "Miranda," 

 her lights burning, her engines at work, soon vanishing in the mist 

 and fog, to find a grave somewhere in the ocean depths. With her 

 went all the worldly effects of the woe-begone explorers, their out- 

 fits, guns, ammunition, stores, collections, everything but the few 

 necessaries they had brought back with them on board the schooner. 



