OUR FIRST LANDINGS 63 



knew well enough there was now but one chance 

 left. 



That chance was the Gusina River. It would put the 

 whole island's length between the Waskina and ourselves. 

 But it was that or nothing this time. Now you partly 

 see why passing by the Kriva was so fatal a mistake. 

 We steamed north. Suddenly we were moving in a dead 

 calm : the water was like oil. This was eloquent — a sign 

 we had learnt to understand well. But the ice had 

 moved to the north of the river ; so we could land there 

 if the tide allowed. 



Once more we filled the boat and pulled off. As I said 

 good-bye to Powys, whom we left upon the ship, I 

 promised I would stay in camp at least till the following 

 evening to assure myself that the Saxon was through. 



What if the northern and the southern ice stream, 

 formed by the island, came together a few miles to the 

 west ? 



The skipper said he had no doubts on this score, and 

 most earnestly I trusted he might be right. But who 

 could tell ? 



We reached the river-mouth. All was well. We pulled 

 in and landed, not on the right or northern bank where 

 we had landed before, but on the left or southern. 



I chose the best spot that offered for the tent on the 

 sand of the river-side, under the lee of a bank which 

 separated the river from the sea, and there we stowed 

 the things. 



