22 CONQUERING THE ARCTIC ICE 



with a deafening noise. It was impossible for the men to hear 

 the orders. I shouted from the wheel where I stood, steadying 

 it with both hands and one knee on the spokes. At last the 

 mainsail came down and was furled. Although the crew, 

 assisted by Mr. Leffingwell and Dr. Howe, worked hard and 

 with good will, it took us a long time before everything was 

 trimmed and the watch could go below. 



The Duchess of Bedford was doing very well and making 

 about seven to eight miles in the hour, thus proving herself a 

 splendid seaboat, floating buoyantly on the waves ; and after 

 the sails were trimmed down in proportion to the wind she 

 never shipped a wave. 



We made a rather unpleasant discovery that afternoon. The 

 ship was leaking more than we thought she ought to do after 

 the overhauling she got in Victoria. The leak seemed to be 

 somewhere in the stern and above water, as she never leaked 

 while lying still, nor while sailing on the wind, but only with 

 fair wind and storm. The crew liked it no more than we did, 

 but there was nothing to be done. She was strong and sound, 

 and the leaking meant only more work at the pumps. 



The gale continued for two days, and when at last it abated 

 we had made more than 300 miles. We had had some sea- 

 sickness on board, and everybody felt pleased when the wind 

 died down on Sunday, May 27. We left the stuffy cabin and 

 lay down on the deck, enjoying life in the fine sunshine and 

 the gentle breeze that had followed the gale. Any vessel 

 passing us would surely have looked in wonder at the curious 

 sight we presented, with blankets tied to the back-stays, on 

 the fore and main boom, and with clothes of every description 

 hanging on lines placed for that purpose. But this was 

 unavoidable. The wet from above during the gale penetrated 

 everything, and blankets and clothes were soaked. 



The leakage decreased with the abating wind, and we felt 

 more confident than ever that the leak was above water and 

 would be easily repaired. 



Then came a succession of calm, quiet days. The wind 

 seemed to shun our vicinity, and the sea lay round us without 

 a ripple, only heaving gently from time to time with a long, 

 lazy swell. The first day of calm passed with little comment, 

 the second with little more, but when the third broke with the 



