30 CONQUERING THE ARCTIC ICE 



grandeur of those magnificent mountains. The spectacle 

 became all the more beautiful as the rays of the setting sun 

 made the dazzlingly white mountain tops almost purple, while 

 further down deep shadows from other peaks made the loveliest 

 contrast. Here and there we could see some black rocks 

 piercing through the white blanket of snow and breaking 

 the monotonous whiteness, while further down a light green 

 was visible in the gathering dusk. I suppose that we looked 

 on it with all the greater pleasure as we were now within reach 

 of our second goal. 



One short strait to pass and we would be in Behring Sea ! 



The night fell only too soon, but we could still see the huge 

 mountains darkly silhouetted against the light sky, while we 

 were running with a fair wind toward Unimack Pass. We 

 entered it at 2 A.M. on Thursday, June 21, but it took us many 

 hours to pass it, as we were first becalmed and drifted out of it 

 again, and after that had a strong breeze from N.E. which soon 

 increased to a gale. 



We sailed very hard that day. The leeward rail was almost 

 at the water's level, and on deck, almost as far as the hatch, the 

 water was washing backwards and forwards, while wave after 

 wave broke over our bow and sent showers of spray over the 

 forecastle. Far up ahead we had a point which we should 

 clear ; if the wind remained as it was we could make it, but 

 if it changed ever so little to the northward we could not 

 weather the cape. The wind increased and we took in sail, 

 while the cape rapidly came nearer. It was an exciting run. 

 If the current changed before we passed the cape, and it was 

 on the very point of doing so, we could not get clear, but as 

 the heavy sea made it impossible for us to stay, we would have 

 to jibe, and even that was almost too late, as the land was less 

 than a mile to leeward of us. 



As we came nearer, all hands were on deck to see the fun, 

 and our little ship was doing her best to justify the high ideas 

 we had of her sailing abilities. Far, far back we saw the Mary 

 and Ann, a whaling schooner which had been following our 

 wake until she became afraid and tried to stay, and failing to 

 do so, she jibed, very close in shore. 



We had no choice now but " do or die." If anything had 

 carried away or the wind had hauled, we should at once have 



