OUR FIRST LANDINGS 39 



see well enough. We could see the ice lying grounded 

 all round the outer bank, but inside it nothing but a wide 

 stretch of mud. I found out the reason of this later on. 

 At present I simply chronicle the fact. 



We had not very long to look, for I felt the wind 

 change on my face and was afraid that it might drive 

 the ice up to the vessel. So we turned and hurried 

 back. After we had been going for some time we heard 

 the vessel's steam whistle, and saw that she was coaling 

 up. 



The tide had risen in the river, as I had feared, and 

 ill would it have fared with us had we been a quarter of 

 an hour later. We just did it and that was all ; for the 

 hummocky ice was close at the Saxons screw ; pushing 

 her up, up, up, until now she was all but abreast of the 

 river. However, they just had time to fetch us off in 

 the sailing dinghy before the river- mouth was passed. 

 Doubtless we could have swum through the river at a 

 pinch, but no one cares to do this when water is almost 

 down to freezing point. This, then, was the end of our 

 first day on Kolguev. 



But we ought not to be at the end as yet. It was the 

 big lake that led me into this trap. In order to describe 

 this day more particularly we must go back a bit. And 

 first I will try and give you a clear idea of the country 

 as we first saw it. 



The cliffs, as I have said before, where we could see 

 them for the snow, showed north and south much the 



