148 FOLLOW THE WHALE 



rounded the headland, they found that the fjord opened up, and was 

 filled with a madly churning mass of ice floes interspersed with small 

 green icebergs all heaving up and down, crunching and grinding 

 upon each other in one ghastly uproar. And into this wild melee the 

 crippled Martha Marguerite drove relentlessly. 



All aboard stared in horror and no man moved, for to every one 

 of them it was instantly plain that disaster lay only a few minutes 

 ahead. Although land rose almost within hailing distance to either 

 side, and there was even a shelving beach far oif, no man and no 

 small boat could exist for more than an instant in the jaws of that 

 great natural grinding machine. Nonetheless, Captain Burkett called 

 jfor more sail and, rushing aft to the helm again, flung the wheel hard 

 over in a last brave endeavor to beach the ship or jettison it upon the 

 rocks before it reached the ice. But the cumbrous sails were so wet 

 and the rigging so damaged that long ere the ship gained steerageway 

 it was among the first ice floes. These rammed her hull from every 

 side, sending great shudders through her from stem to stern. At first 

 the great seas also broke over her, adding their weight to the batter- 

 ing of the ship so that timbers split and the deck opened up, and 

 down below the barrels of priceless oil broke loose and tumbled 

 against the weakened frame, making a ghastly hollow drumming 

 from within. In a matter of minutes it was plain to all that the ship 

 was breaking up. 



Then the cook comes yelHng from below that the ballast is awash 

 and the forward hold flooded. Although the ship is not yet holed, 

 the seams are opening and the ship is sinking. Captain Burkett strug- 

 gles through the tangled mass of ropes that now clutter the deck 

 where Jonas Lodge still stands at the poop rail glaring defiance at 

 the raging sea and ice. Although just an agent now, he is still a 

 mariner at heart, and he is not by any means a coward. He knows 

 disaster when he sees it as well as any sailor and he looks Captain 

 Burkett directly and manfully in the eye. Then, with something 

 close to humility, he gives a quiet command. "Abandon ship as best 

 you can, Mr. Burkett." 



"And you, sir? " replies the latter. 



"These are my orders, Mr. Burkett. Are you questioning my au- 

 thority? Remember, sir, this is my ship although you be her master. 

 Proceed without delay." 



