Voyage through the Kara Sea. 161 



with us, and here we did succeed in making a little 

 progress. We rowed hard till we were about abreast 

 of the ship ; then we once more tried to sheer across to 

 her, but no sooner did we get into the current again 

 than it mercilessly drove us back. Beaten again ! And 

 again we tried the same manoeuvre with the same result. 

 Now we saw them lowering a buoy from the ship if we 

 could only reach it, we were saved ; but we did not reach 

 it. They were not exactlyblessings thatwe poured on those 

 on board. Why on earth could they not bear down to us, 

 when they saw the straits we were in ; or why, at any rate, 

 could they not ease up the anchor, and let the ship drift a 

 little in our direction ? They saw how little was needed to 

 enable us to reach them. Perhaps they had their reasons. 

 We would make one last desperate attempt. We 

 went at it with a will. Every muscle was strained to 

 the utmost it was only the buoy we had to reach this 

 time. But to our rage we now saw the buoy being 

 hauled up. W T e rowed a little way on, to the windward 

 of the Fraui, and then tried again to sheer over. This 

 time we got nearer her than we had ever been before ; 

 but we were disappointed in still seeing no buoy, and 

 none was thrown over ; there was not even a man to be 

 seen on deck. We roared like madmen for a buoy we 

 had no strength left for another attempt. It was not a 

 pleasing prospect to have to drift back, and go ashore 

 again in our wet clothes ; we would get on board ! 

 Once more we yelled like wild Indians, and now they came 



M 



