THE UNFORTUNATE MIRANDA 



John's in safety, or, at any rate, that she could be run in 

 somewhere on the Labrador coast. As we got under way 

 the American flag was hoisted on our main mast and was 

 greeted with loud cheers. The Miranda being an Eng- 

 lish ship, sailing under an English charter, flew of course 

 the British colors. We removed our hats and sang the 

 " Star Spangled Banner " and " My Country 'tis of Thee." 

 It was an inspiring scene. 



Near us, in a large boat, rowed by Eskimo, was the good 

 Governor Bistrup and his family, to whom we were in- 

 debted for many courtesies. We gave them cheer upon 

 cheer, which they and their Eskimo rowers returned. All 

 about us the little kayaks darted until the rowers waved 

 us a last good-bye. On shore a solid phalanx of Eskimo 

 was drawn up firing salute upon salute. Slowly the 

 Miranda turned out of the harbor into the open sea; the 

 mists fell about us and the shores of Greenland were 

 hidden from our sight. 



The rain came down steadily with a dreary patter, patter 

 on the deck, and continued to fall for four never-to-be- 

 forgotten days. There was no shelter to seek on deck of 

 any kind; it was cold, wet and disagreeable, while below 

 the air was so foul and close that it made most of us sea- 

 sick, so that we alternated between the devil and the deep 

 sea with a vengeance. To add to the miseries of the situa- 

 tion the hatchway which supplied light and air to the after 

 hold had to be shut down on account of the rough weather, 

 for the waves were washing over the decks. At night the 

 combined and generous odor of fish and bilge water, the 

 extremely close quarters, and the groans, to say nothing 

 of other noises of the seasick ones, made us feel as if we 

 had descended into a veritable inferno. But " adaptation 

 to environment," says Spencer, " is the law of life," and in 

 accordance with this kindly law, we gradually grew accus- 

 tomed to our surroundings, and our sense of smell became 

 dulled, even to bilge water. 



On our second day out, we encountered many swells, 

 and fears began to be entertained for the Miranda. When 

 night fell, a red lierht gleamed from the steamer's deck, in- 

 dicating that trouble was anticipated. At midnight three 

 shrieks came from the steamer's whistle in rapid succes- 



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