JOURNEY FROM MURRAY NARROWS 119 
human coughing of a few seals swimming round the schooner 
were the only sounds breaking the intense stillness. 
July jS, Thursday . Started again at 7 a.m. next morning. 
Passed between Burnt Island and Smoke Island into Desola¬ 
tion Bay. We made slow progress against the south-west 
wind and continuous snow squalls. Captain very worried! 
The sailors superstitious. Lost our way again, or rather 
mistook a bay for a channel. Captain says, ‘Worst trip he 
has ever made/ Forced to anchor again at 2 p.m. in Puerto 
Chico. Entering Paso Brecknock to-night impossible; even 
in our sheltered cove the swell beat in and rocked us heavily. 
July ig , Friday . During the night the wind blew us on the 
rocks, and the men were forced to go ashore in row boat with 
ropes and pull us off. Left Puerto Chico at 7.30 a.m. 
Raining heavily and big seas, with north-west wind against 
us. The awful belief is that everything is against us, and 
before we were out of Cockburn Channel, our engine failed 
us and the sailors again had to get into the row boat and tow 
us into a sheltered bay close to Cape Turn on Clarence 
Island. After an hour of desperate work on the engine, the 
Captain sent word that he wished to speak with me. All 
were gathered round the engine, and I was informed that the 
crank-shaft was broken, and made aware of the fact that we 
had suddenly become becalmed. The dreadful winds we 
had fought for days were no more. We had a dead calm sea 
and steady rain. The crank-shaft could not be repaired and 
there was no wind whereby to sail. The Captain had been 
talking with his crew who were superstitious and difficult, 
refusing to risk their lives by rowing in small boat along 
coast to San Isidro lighthouse 20 odd miles away for help 
unless the Captain accompanied them. The latter was 
seriously worried and made the following propositions: 
■ (1) To stay on schooner while he went for help. (2) To put 
the Professor ashore in a safe place and all go in small boat to 
