Cruise to Russian Lapland. 203 



Zeralya were seen^ and a little after midnight we were 

 within eight or ten miles of the low shores of Goose-land. 

 Here our further progress was stopped by a close pack which 

 stretched eight miles broad along the entire length of Goose- 

 land, and joined with the main fields of ice off North and 

 South Goose Capes. Our position was extremely aggra- 

 vating ; there was the land of promise only a few miles away, 

 and yet we were effectually cut off from it. 



Some narrow leads and cracks showing to the north-west, 

 the yacht was worked into the pack in that direction, in the 

 hope that it might bring us round North Goose Cape, and 

 that open water might be found in the neighbourhood of 

 MoUer Bay. By 6 a.m. of the 3rd July we had worked into 

 the pack as far north as lat, 72^ 10', but we had been edged 

 out some 26 miles from the land. North Goose Cape bearing 

 exactly due east of our position. We had therefore not 

 improved our circumstances, but, on the contrary, as the 

 leads we had worked along were constantly shifting and 

 closing under the influences of wind and tide, we were in 

 imminent risk of being beset. The only course left was to 

 endeavour to retrace our steps. This was done, and after a 

 final struggle with a barrier of loose ice some 50 yards wide, 

 which taxed to the full all the little steam-power of the 

 * Saxon,'' the big space of open water off Goose-land was 

 regained. By this time the broad channel which we had 

 come by the previous night had become completely closed. 



For the rest of that day we worked slowly along the edge 

 of the pack that barred us from the land, hoping for some 

 beneficial change. It was evident that great movements 

 were taking place amongst the ice-fields, we could see dark 

 clouds betokening open water in the direction of Kostia 

 Schar, beyond South Goose Cape. A great channel three or 

 four miles wide, connecting with the water space we were in, 

 opened up during the course of the day to the south-west. 

 Evidently the entire pack was loosening off the land and 

 moving forth for its final break-up in Barents Sea. Could 

 we have remained for the next few days, taking advantage 

 of every favourable movement in the ice, there is little doubt 



