Evening star., 1924-08-10

mast was scarcely 25 feet high. but
for lack Of anything better to do
complied.
WHEN I had scrambled up to. the
spreader I nearly fell overheard
In sheer amazement. Not only were the
hills visible, but scarcely 200 yards
away on our port cluster of top
masts poked up through the low fog
bank which rolled along the surface
of the water like a river of lead. And
all the time we had been cropping
b1indly under that curtain of mist.
Fifteen minutes later we came to
anchor among fishing schooners to
which those topmasts belonged, in
the shelter of West Modesto Island,
and our kettle was soon singing on
the stove. We drank about a gallon
of hot tea apiece, and turned in for q
good nights rest.
When the Daryl again steamed
northward, Bob had tuned up his en-
Efne SO that she made six knots
instead of the scant four and a half
that had been our best previous
speed. Needless to say, the surgical
dressings on the machinery had been
replaced by solid nuts and bolts.
Also. our ships company was aug
mented by another white man and a
venerable breed" who was reputed
to be the best pilot on the coast
George was a very lovable old chap
he III.
OF being quarter Eskimo-but we
soon discovered that knowledge ac-
duired in driving dog teams across
bay ice in winter was not much good
when 1t came to plotting a ship. For
fortnight we picked our way
through bewildering maze of
islands of all sizes and shapes that
seemed to extend Unfortunately out to
sea.
Sometimes Daryl ran through
narrow channels where her wake,
splashing against the low. rocky is.
lands. sent seals plopping off into the
sea; at other times she crossed broad
sounds completely landlocked by en-
circling archipelagos. Our chart
quite candidly gave 1t up-the paper
was left blank except for a neat
legend In italics: Numerous islands
here" That was the truth,
1t was while navigating one partic-
ularly confusing bit of landscape
for that is about what 1t amounted
to-that we fell in with a small
schooner, manned wholly by Eskimos,
going the same way. They sang out
to George and asked him for a tow,
as the wind was light and DARYL
went boiling past under power at a
great rate.
No" I said. I'm sorry, but we
must make Hopedale before it gets
dark or wen never find the place at
all in this mess Of islands 1 can't
be slowed down by a tow"
Hopedale waa the name OF a post of
the Moravian mission which was
located, according to our best belief,
upon what appeared to be a neck
of the mainland some ten miles
ahead We were anxious to get there
quickly, as our fuel was about
used up.
George kept. looking back at the
schooner and then ahead rather
doubtfully, as it seemed to me, and
presently confessed in a shamefaced
way that he was not sure just where
we were, and maybe if we took the
natives in tow it would save time in
the end. since they belonged down
Hopedale way, sure
This sounded reasonable, and we
turned back to pick them up. In the
meantime, however, cold sea fog
had rolled in astern, and all the world
was shut off by a curtain of gray. We
ran what seemed about the right
length of time, stopped the engine
and footed the fog horn. No answer.
Bob came up and played his mouth
organ. A seal yapped out of the fog
ahead, and presently its sleek little
head appeared within our range of
vision. They are most inquisitive
little beasts. But of the schooner
there was no sound.
Next we cut wide circle. stopping
at intervals to toot and listen. Fin
ally, when these maneuvers had got
ten me as completely lost as my pilot,
we gave her up.
"Sure, SIR" said George, 'they must