NORTH POLE OF THE WINDS 



was filling. Water must have been entering the 

 engine room, for the skipper now turned the helm 

 and drove the sloop straight for the shore. I dove 

 back into the cabin, fished my boots out of about 

 a foot of water, and we all now began passing 

 bedding and more valuable equipment that was at 

 hand up onto the deck. Steam was now issuing 

 in great volumes from the engine room and the 

 ship now struck a second time and this time re- 

 mained fast on the ledge between two rocks. In 

 the thick darkness we continued to pile our stuff 

 on deck while the dinghy was being loaded for the 

 shore. We had the dinghy already ashore with 

 one load and Etes had gained a foothold on the 

 narrow ledge of rock to unload her, but now the 

 ship appeared to be settling by the stern. Fearing 

 she would slide off into deep water I now halted 

 the salvaging operations and had both anchors 

 dropped into the dinghy and taken ashore. The 

 men succeeded in getting a foothold on the slippery 

 rocks and wedging the flukes of the anchors into 

 a crack. Our Eskimos then worked at the wind- 

 lass until both anchor chains were taut. We could 

 now with something more of deliberation see to 

 getting our stuff on shore, where it was scattered 

 about on flat ledges just above the water. Already 

 the dawn was coming and we were able to work 



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