A HARD STRUGGLE 217 



embarkation out 'of the question for the time. This was about 

 10 A.M., and all day the wind increased in violence. A stately- 

 procession of icebergs began to float down from the northerly arms 

 of the lake and squall succeeded squall. Soon it became evident 

 that the launch was drifting again, and I shouted to Bernardo, who 

 was now within hearing distance of the shore, to break up an oar 

 and use it for fuel. Luckily he had kept up fire in the furnace 

 and steam in the boiler, and as the weather was growing rapidly 

 worse, I ordered him to steam up over the anchor, and afterwards 

 to take the boat a quarter of a mile out and there drop anchor 

 with all the length of chain out that we possessed. 



"What followed gave to us, I think, perhaps the most heart- 

 breaking moments we experienced throughout the whole trip. 

 While Bernardo was getting up enough steam to carry out orders, 

 the launch, still drifting, swooped nearer and nearer a reef of 

 submerged rocks. As she was in deep water. Cattle and I could do 

 nothing to help ; we were compelled to watch helplessly from the 

 shore and rage at our own impotence. We called to Bernardo to 

 keep her off with an oar, and while he was unlashing one the 

 stern of the launch and, more than all, her precious propeller barely 

 escaped being smashed to pieces as she rose and fell on the rollers. 

 To us, looking from the shore, it seemed as if her last hour was 

 come, and it appeared hard indeed that she should have run safely 

 through so many perils only to end her existence in the lake before 

 we had had time to carry out any part of the exploration on which 

 we had set our hearts. 



"At the crucial moment, however, Bernardo managed to pole 

 her clear and give her steam. She moved slowly out and anchored 

 far off shore. 



" Evening drew on, but the wind showed no signs of dropping, 

 as it usually did at the rising or setting of the sun. There was 

 nothing for it but to make up our minds to a night ashore. We 

 found ourselves in a dilemma, for we had our whole supply of 

 food on shore, while, with the exception of my poncho, which 

 I brought with me to dry, Bernardo had all the rugs and 

 blankets in the launch. However, we made the best of it by 

 building up a big shelter of drift-wood and bushes. Then we 



