CHAPTER VI 



WE drifted about ninety miles S.W. in the three 

 days' storm, S.W. of Norway, and now 

 are just the same distance from Lerwick as 

 when we started. 



Nine watches with the engine going will take us there. 



It is blue and sunny to-day, wind N.E., so we have set 

 staysail and mainsail and go along in a real sailing-ship style. 



But the old sea still runs high from N.W. and the wind 

 blows little ripples down the long furrows, and the lumpy 

 waves stop our way down to four or five knots. 



In smoother water and with all hands free we would get 

 a jib and topsail on ; meantime we want the engine to work. 



At night the blasts became gradually less furious and the 

 seas less precipitous. 



At two-forty as I write, rolling along through lumpy blue 

 sea at four knots, the engineer lets on the air all have been 

 labouring at, clash goes the engine, subsiding into its steady 

 business-like stroke, and away we ramp ; cheers from some 

 of us. The St Ebba vindicates itself. 



How our feelings are changed ! " How is the air pressure?" 

 is a question which will be poked at the engineers for many 

 a fine day to come ; and they will take care, sick or not sick, 

 never again to let it run out. We surely do twelve knots 

 with sails drawing and engine running. The log line will 

 soon show. . . . 



We run all afternoon finely sails, wind and motor till 

 the wind heads us and the foresail comes down, and we roll, 

 roll as I think only a whaler can roll, and the expression on 

 faces changes. But our engineer mechanicien, we call 

 him is now no more sick and has the engine going, and is 

 washed and is as spry as usual again. 



Evening meal comes (aften-mad) with ship's provender, 

 which is not bad, and what is called tea in Norway ; and the 

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