MOUNT ST. ELIA8 AND PEINCE WILLIAM SOUND. 181 



to danger than before. Some water had even entered 

 the craft, which seemed glued to the sand. Now now 

 was the time again ! Nine voices yelled in chorus. 

 Next instant every one was smothered from head to 

 foot in foam. We seemed like madmen having a 

 nightmare. Behind us was starvation, in front of us 

 was death. Every one seized some package and bore 

 it back to shore. Fortunately the matches were dry. 

 So ended our first attempt to leave Icy Bay. Next 

 time we made the attempt the surf had calmed a little, 

 and we succeeded two days later, but at the cost of 

 abandoning some of our packages of least value. The 

 moment was certainly a critical one ; but the surf 

 was more regular, and we were able to select the 

 moment for the last rush with certainty. From the 

 sea Mount St. Elias looked magnificent. Our deserted 

 tent showed up white against the black forests, which 

 contrasted in turn against the glaciers beyond. For 

 miles and miles we skirted the ice cliffs of the Great 

 Agassiz Glacier, surrounded by quantities of seals in 

 the thick white water, and reached the Yakatat village 

 once again by sunset. They crowded round us, men, 

 women, and children, without offering to help us ; 

 their faces painted black and red with a mixture of 

 clay, grease, and blood, and with charcoal. On the 

 4th of August the traders' schooner arrived, of twenty 

 tons burden, and they offered to take us to Kaiak 

 Island, farther north, whence we could take a canoe 

 to Prince William Sound, and thence reach Kodiak, 

 and eventually California, by sailing vessel or small 



