We launched the boat on the morning of the 21st, and stood over towards the main land. When about mid-channel, we discovered that the boat had sprung a leak; at the same time a heavy fall of snow came on, accompanied with violent squalls. The leak gained so much upon us, that it became absolutely necessary to run for the nearest shore.—Had the day been clear, we might have got back to the harbour we had quitted in the morning; but the snow rendered it so dark that we could scarcely see a boat’s length ahead; we had therefore no resource but to put before the wind, and trust our lives to Providence.
The first view we had of the shore was most alarming; we were completely embayed, with a heavy surf breaking amongst the rocks, whilst, at the same time, the violence of the gale, and the state of the boat, were such as to preclude any hopes of working out of the bay. We therefore turned the bow to that part of the shore which seemed clearest of rocks, and a sea carried us so far up, that when it retired, we were left almost dry; the next wave carried us a little further, upon which the second mate imprudently let go the anchor; when it retired we all jumped out, and reached the shore in safety. Upon the return of the swell, the boat swung round, with her head to the sea, and being prevented by the anchor from driving farther up, she almost immediately went to pieces upon the rocks.
That part of the island on which we were cast was quite barren, and many miles distant from the nearest settlement, the path to which lay across mountains covered with snow.
After collecting what we could save of the wreck of the boat, we set out in search of some place to shelter us for the night, and fortunately discovered, at no great distance, one of those huts that are constructed for the use of the fox and bear hunters. It was too small to admit of a fire in the inside; but the number of people crowded into it rendered the cold less intense; and we lighted a fire in the open air, at which we made ready our provisions.
Upon examining our remaining stock, we found, that with the utmost economy, it would not last above three or four days; it became therefore necessary to form some plan to extricate ourselves from so deplorable a situation.
The bay in which we were wrecked was surrounded with high mountains, which ran down to the shore, terminating in a steep range of rocks, or what sailors call an iron bound coast. Karlouski, the nearest settlement, lay, as we were informed by our Russian companions, at a considerable distance to the west. We deliberated whether we should attempt to reach it by crossing the mountains, or by going along shore at low water. The danger and difficulty of making our journey over the snow deterred us from adopting the first plan: we therefore fixed on the latter, and determined to set out on our journey next morning.
CHAPTER VI.
A party quit the hut in search of a settlement—Author’s feet frost-bitten—Progress of the party interrupted by a mountain—Return towards the hut, till prevented by the tide from passing a reef of rocks—Pass the night in a valley—Next morning set off at low water—Author falls behind, and in attempting to climb over a rock, gets his hands frost-bitten—Critical situation—Reaches the hut—Two Russians reach a settlement by the mountains, and send relief—Some account of Karlouski—Voyage to Alexandria.