HOMEWARD ! 



439 



down grade, and prospects at a low ebb. Again this time the 

 ' Tram ' fellows sacrificed with ardour to the angry gods of the 

 deep. 



On the forenoon of the 7th, just as we had gone about, off 

 North Devon, a squall fell on us, and, before we knew what had 

 happened, the jib split; this ought to have been a strong sail, 

 but it was certainly blowing very hard. As we were just out- 

 side Havnefjord during the afternoon, we resolved to go in there 

 and wait till the wind dropped. We could then mend the jib, and 

 fill the bunkers with coal ; the latter we had not yet done, in order 



A NIGHT SHOOTEK IN THE SMALL HOURS OF THE MOKMNG. 



that the ship might lie as evenly as possible as long as we were 

 sailing in shoal water. Many a pale harassed face brightened 

 when we again lay at anchor at our old place in there. 



While the coaling was going on next day, Baumann sewed hard 

 at the jib, and during the night the mate and I helped him, so 

 that there was always somebody at work on it. 



When the coaling was over later in the afternoon, I went 

 ashore to see what our prospects were. I saw no ice in Jones 

 Sound, but the wind was raging with unabated violence, and there 

 was nothing for us to do out there. I went round by Braskerud's 

 cross. An inquisitive bear had visited the spot, and pushed away 



