52 TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 



a heavy, choppy sea was running in the bay, and the 

 dory kept shipping small seas as she went smashing 

 into the crest of each big wave, so that every one was 

 drenched to the skin ere we reached the vessel. It 

 was little short of marvellous to watch the way the 

 natives handled the small bidarkas, as they rode like 

 ducks over the seething mass of waters. And ever 

 afterwards the scene remained vividly impressed on 

 my mind, since it was a revelation to see in what 

 waters these cockleshell craft could live when properly 

 handled. 



All that evening the wind rose and came howling 

 down from unknown space beyond the mountain 

 heights. By way of extra precaution the captain 

 ordered a second anchor to be dropped lest we should 

 find a premature ending to our trip by drifting ashore. 

 All night the Lily tugged and strained at her anchors, 

 rolling and tossing as huge waves came thundering 

 neath her bows, whilst overhead a biting icy wind 

 went whistling and shrieking through the rigging. 

 And then we had a foretaste of Alaskan hail and sleet, 

 which cut the hands and face like whip lashes, in fact 

 it seemed as if all elements combined to make night 

 hideous with a satanic pandemonium. 



