4 ICE-BOUND ON KOLGUEV 



over the barnacled rocks, and the silver sea-trout leaping 

 in the tide. 



Also the stupendous steam crane of the new break- 

 water is wonderful to watch, playing with cubes of tens 

 'of tons as though with pebbles ; and that other machine 

 — tragically exact — formed of human thews and sinews, 

 and working to the utmost stretch of human capability, 

 as perhaps only convict labour can. 



We had time enough for some of this in the intervals 

 of getting the Saxon ready for her cruise, though there 

 was necessarily a good deal to be done. But by ten in 

 the morning of this Saturday, June 2nd, all was ready 

 and stowed. With that we weighed anchor and stood 

 out of the harbour, dropping our pilot off the Head. 



The wind was light, and this was well ; for it was all 

 against us, blowing from the east. None the less the 

 log at sunset showed nearly an average of nine knots 

 and a half. At midnight the wind freshened and went 

 a point or so more northerly, so that we set the sails and 

 made good way. 



We found the Saxon a remarkably handy little boat 

 which rode the waters like a cork. She was not a 

 comfortable craft just by reason of her very quickness, 

 but this we could forgive. 



I had had out the tow-net during the day, but, as it took 

 nothing, I hauled it in again when the water grew rough. 



Jttne 2>rd- — At ten o'clock on this morning a pair of 



