COASTING ALASKA PENINSULA 193 



As the storm continued all day without apparent 

 intention of abating, a council of war was held in the 

 cabin between Larsson, Kleinschmidt and Ed Born. 

 Among them it was suggested to change the course and 

 try to run before the wind between the Barren Islands 

 and Shuyak Island. ''If we can hit the large passage 

 between them," said Larsson, ''it will give us a great 

 deal more sea room to drift in before we fetch up on the 

 coast of the Alaska Peninsula, on the other side of Cook's 

 Inlet, and we might even be able to get under the lee of 

 the Kenai Peninsula and nm into Kachemak Bay." 



But then the question naturally arose, "Where were 

 the Barren Islands at this moment?" Nobody knew. 

 Nevertheless, Larsson was for trying it. 



"I will not do it on my own authority," said the 

 captain. "I will call the mate and see what he thinks." 

 The mate emerged from his cabin next to the engine 

 room and the plan was put before him. 



He heard them all through. "If you want to conmiit 

 suicide, go ahead and do it," said the mate. "I will not 

 be a party to any such thing." So saying he went back 

 to bed. 



The vessel was kept straining to windward. All this 

 time by the greatest good fortune Jenny, the motor, 

 never once halted. It had been her custom to hesitate, 

 to pause, to catch her breath, to stop entirely and wait 

 for the tender hand of her engineer to coax her again 

 into activity. But now in our time of utmost need she 

 responded with a delicacy, a consideration of feeling 

 which one would not have looked for in so hard a heart 

 as hers, and kept bravely turning the propeller without 

 once ceasing. Ever since leaving Pirate Cove she had, 

 in fact, been doing this. Her clutch was wedged full of 



13 



