CAPTAIN' DIXON^S LOO. 141 



decided that the passengers occupy this space and the cabin, 

 and that the crew should occupy the forecastle. We then 

 spread sails on top of the salt, and mattresses on the sails, 

 thus making snug but quite comfortable quarters, reaching 

 forward to underneath the after-hatch. Forward of tliis was 

 our fish, occupying a length of about twelve feet, leaving a 

 space forward and under the main hatch of about twelve feet 

 long, where we carried our water and provisions, and also our 

 trawl and bony lines. This being completed, the passengers 

 came on board on the morning of August 21. 



In order to insure against a separation in case of a fog 

 or in the darkness, we decided that the steamer should tow 

 the schooner, so we used our one hundred and fifty fathoms 

 of new cable as a tow-line, and arranged a few signals between 

 myself and Captain Farrell, so we could have some little com- 

 munication in case of need or accident. As we would require 

 more room in case we had to take off the crew of the 

 Miranda, we decided to put some of our trawl gear on board 

 of the steamer before we left Sukkertoppen, so we put our 

 sixty trawl anchors, valued at $43.20, and fifty-three trawl 

 buoys, valued at $G3, on board the steamer. 



This finished our preparations, and we got under way in 

 the morning of August 21, and with flags flying and the Es- 

 kimos cheering us and firing guns we proceeded out to sea 

 witli the passengers singing ** My Country, 'tis of Thee." 



August 21. — At 10.30 a. m. we took our departure from 

 Sukkertoppen, and steered west by our compass. The wind 

 wasS.S.W., with a fresh breeze, and drizzly. We had our try- 

 sail and foresjiil set, and were making seven and one-half knots 

 per hour. We passed numerous icebergs all day. The wind 

 freshened until midnight. It blew a strong breeze then ; 

 fell off by 4 a. m. to a fresh breeze on the morning of 

 August 22. 



August 22. — Swell from south, with misty rain and indi- 



