Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - XXIX.—Pulling for Life on the Chargut-tso
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PULLING FOR LIFE. 443
of the island. Then we had dinner, and amused ourselves
by gathering fuel, and then I climbed to the highest point
of the island to bid good-bye to the setting sun. We pre-
pared for our second night in our watery prison. The
clouds tliickened and raced on in the same wild wrack,
while the moon sailed amongst them like a silver schooner.
Again and again we studied the sky ; again and again we
went to the west end of the island, but always the lake was
running just as high. I hoped, however, that we might
make the next little rocky island before the night was over,
and ere the moon set I took its compass-bearings.
At length the wind really did abate and the lake began to
subside. We rowed along the southern face of the island,
the rocky wall of which rose like a black spectre out of the
waves, and then struck out into the open lake. The water
was as black as ink, except where a belt of vivid moonshine
danced across the dying waves, and the mountains which
framed in the lake stood out like intense black etchings
upon the general darkness of the night. Hour after hour
we plied the oars. I sounded the depth ; it was over 121
feet ; land could not be near. Although I was able to read
my instruments by the light of a lantern, I almost began
to fear that we had passed the next island. If we had, then
the broad western basin of the lake would be before us, and
supposing the storm were to quicken up again, we should
then be in a very perilous position. The moon had now set,
and it was pitch-dark. But no, we are steering right ;
the depth is growing less. And before we were aware of
it our little skiff was scraping on the rocks. We had not
seen the island until we were actually upon it. We landed,
and at once went to sleep.
When we awoke next morning it was still blowing hard.
Must we actually spend another day on this little craggy
islet, which was barely 350 yards across ? And there was
another source of anxiety : our provisions were running
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