30 ICE-BOUND ON KOLGUEV 
running about east by north, up which we steamed for 
some eleven miles. At 8 a.m. this lead came unfortunately 
to an end, and we had to go north-west once more. 
At one time indeed it looked very much as if, with all 
our trouble gone for nothing, we should have to put 
about and run back for our first entry. By good chance, 
however, things turned out better than that. 
After a while we found ourselves opposed only by a thin 
line of very loose and open ice. This was the tail end— 
so to say—of the big ice-field on our port side, which 
draggled out as the main body went floating to the west. 
How far north-west this pack extended we could not 
even guess. But across the open water to the north of 
us the ice-blink was steadily shining; so we knew that 
not very far ahead the enemy would be found again. 
But we were not fated to encounter it. 
Among the links of loose ice there were many pieces 
quite big enough to damage us very badly if we had met 
them fair ; but by slowing down the engines until we had 
but just enough pressure on to keep us creeping, we 
were able to worm our way through—stopping the 
engines altogether now and then, or reversing as it 
became necessary either to try and negative the impact 
of a block or to retreat from it altogether. 
At noon it was glorious sunshine, and we were able to 
get good sights. This north-westerly point of the eastern 
pack which we had rounded was as near as possible in 
69° 16'N. 
