OUR FIRST LANDINGS 30 
see well enough. We could see the ice lying grounded 
all round the outer bank, but inside it nothing but a wide 
stretch of mud. I found out the reason of this later on. 
At present I simply chronicle the fact. 
We had not very long to look, for I felt the wind 
change on my face and was afraid that it might drive 
the ice up to the vessel. So we turned and hurried 
back. After we had been going for some time we heard 
the vessel’s steam whistle, and saw that she was coaling 
up. 
The tide had risen in the river, as I had feared, and 
ill would it have fared with us had we been a quarter of 
an hour later. We just did it and that was all; for the 
hummocky ice was close at the Saxon’s screw ; pushing 
her up, up, up, until now she was all but abreast of the 
river. However, they just had time to fetch us off in 
the sailing dinghy before the river-mouth was passed. 
Doubtless we could have swum through the river at a 
pinch, but no one cares to do this when water is almost 
down to freezing point. This, then, was the end of our 
first day on Kolguev. 
But we ought not to be at the end as yet. It was the 
big lake that led me into this trap. In order to describe 
this day more particularly we must go back a bit. And 
first I will try and give you aclear idea of the country 
as we first saw it. 
The cliffs, as I have said before, where we could see 
them for the snow, showed north and south much the 
