86 THE WHALE HUNTERS 



command and for a while at least they found comfort in 

 the realisation that they were safe in the ship again. 



Soon, however, the word spread that new dangers 

 awaited them and those who had sufficiently recovered 

 climbed to the upper deck again and gazed with dread 

 upon the endless stretch of pack ice that obstructed the 

 ship's escape to the open waters beyond. 



In the hope of finding the northern flank of his enemy 

 Captain Slocum now sailed his ship northward through 

 the ever narrowing lane of water; but it soon became 

 evident that here too there was no escape. Once more he 

 found the ice on either hand converging towards an impass- 

 able cul-de-sac. 



He brought his imprisoned vessel to the centre of the 

 long crescent-shaped pool and tacked her to and fro in the 

 howling gale in the hope that the wind might drop and 

 halt the remorseless advance of the dense barrier of pack 

 ice or that a gap might form that would lead the ship to 

 safety. Once more he bade his men kneel in prayer. 

 When they arose to their feet there was barely sailing 

 room in the narrow pool. 



One forlorn hope remained. Giving his ship all the 

 canvas she could carry he put her on a close-hauled tack 

 and drove her into the advancing ice barrier. 



A steam vessel of later centuries would in all probability 

 have forced her way through but the Pilgrim possessed 

 only the power of her sails. Though her men strove 

 valiantly with spars to push the ice from her path the time 

 came when further progress was impossible. 



Locked in the ice she awaited her fate. 



