Evening star., 1922-10-08

nj effect an opening in the pack
shoreward, deemed 1t expedi-
ent for us to work out as
Quickly as possible, since the freezing
of open pools nightly would soon ce-
ment the whole pack into one solid
mass.
Slowly and very cautiously We worked
the Bowdoin through the leads steadily
eastward, twice striking the fans Of our
propeller By the increased vibration
we knew that it was seriously injured.
At dusk We moored the Bowdoin to
pan within sight of a newly discovered
small island in longitude 81 40 N.
and longitude 7s' 15' W.; in area about
200 yards long by 100 wide. On the
northeastern horizon the faint outlines
could be seen Of what we supposed to
be the Spicer islands.
From the crows nest the prospect
looked encouraging for proceeding north
ward the next day. But changes take
place very rapidly In the north. When
We awoxe In the morning 1t was blowing
hard from little east Of north, with
mixture of rain, snow and fog. The
"HOIS pdth was uiINiHsS souti anu tsAf>
ing the Bowdotn involuntarily along
with It.
To take our thoughts for few hours
away from such a discouraging sight,
We unpacked our new motion picture
machine, gift received through Mr..
Hayes. civic secretary of the Boston
city Club from Mr.. James J Phelan.
Mr. William Lyman Underwood, the
Harvard Club and the Yale Club. If
they knew how we enjoyed that hour
or so up in Fox channel. locked In the
ice and the many. many happy hours we
spent later in winter quarters. I know
they would feel we'll repaid for their
generosity.
Our electric plant with which the
Eowdoin was lighted. supplied us with
power. We simply snapped the button
and were off into the busy world of the
south, a world of green fields. beautiful
trees, palatial homes. wonderful men
and beautiful women.
Old Lorngah of the north must have
peeped through our portfolio and be-
come disheartened over his vain at
tempt to bring us unhappiness, for
when the theater closed good weather
greeted us.
WE were off at s m. with strong
w northwest wind. a single reef in
our mainsail and white water under
the forefoot. shooting through cracks
and Shaping around corners as if our
lives depended upon 1t. At o'clock
we had regained large part of our
lost distance, and saw again the black
TOP of our new island over the ice
packs and its mate a short distance
north of 1t.
We now decided that these two
must be the Spicer islands, discovered
by Capt John Spicer of New London,
Conn. But in about half hour to our
surprise a large low reddish looking
island appeared on the horizon dead
ahead. When distant about five miles
three others could be seen on our star
board bow-two small and very low.
but the third at least fifteen miles
long.
Stretching to the eastward of these
three was a treacherous mass OF
shoals, plainly evidenced by the light
green water shading off into the deep
blue. The water between the two
largo islands was neither green nor
blue, but Of a murky color, which i
attributed to the reflection from the
reddish colored soil and-apparently-
plenty of depth for the Bowdoin.
which drew ten feet and half. To
the west as far as the eye could reach
there was an unbroken field OF ice
moving to the eastward with the
wind To the north lay scattered pans
and leads which were rapidly closing.
Possibly under the lee Of the large
island thought we might find shelter
in a niche or blight until the pack
drifted by. From the crows nest.
sixty-eight feet above the deck,
scanned the water closely to detect
shoal ground, but saw nothing to
cause me to desist from attempting
the passage.
When nearly through and going
rapidly under all sail and power we
struck, bounded over. leaving a broad
streak of muddy water and struck
again and stopped. Now we are
lost" one of my men exclaimed He
had evidently been contemplating a
catastrophe for some time.
There was nothing at all serious
about our grounding. with the pos
sible exception Of the fact that with
our extremely heavy load she might
not rest we'll on the bottom at low
tide, especially If the bottom was
studded with boulders, which had
reason to believe was not the case,
as evidenced by the character Of the
low, sandy island under our lee, and
by the mud being stirred up at every
thump At low water we knew that
she would be high and dry. With her
sharp bilges would she float on the
flood tide before the water reached
her matches:
Naturally my men declared she
would not. One of the first specifi-
cations demanded by me Of the naval
architect. Mr.. William H. Hand. was
that she rise If grounded: for. as I
told him, she would be aground a
dozen times before she left the arc
ito Every arctic ship has had this
experience. I had confidence in Mr..
Hand and felt no alarm in spite of
our heavy deckload.
4 + +
nut while such thoughts were pass
ID Ing rapidly through our minds
We were hard at work. for 1t was
tiptop high water and had even fallen