rooned there. For the
launch blew right up on the bank in among the trees, and strive as we
would, for days we could not even move her out again.

Another spring we had a very close squeak of losing the Strathcona.
While we were trying one morning to get out of a harbour, a sudden
gale of wind came down upon us and pinned us tight, so that we could
not move an inch. The pressure of the ice became more severe moment by
moment, and meanwhile the ice between us and the shore seemed to be
imperceptibly melting away. Naturally we tried every expedient we
could think of to keep enough ice between us and the shore rocks to
save the vessel being swept over the rocky headland, toward which the
irresistible tidal current was steadily forcing us. To make matters
worse, we struck our propeller against a pan of ice and broke off one
of the flanges close to the shaft. It became breathlessly exciting as
the ship drew nearer and nearer to the rocks. We abandoned our boat
when we saw that by trying to hold on to it any longer we should be
jeopardizing the steamer. Twisting round helplessly as in a giant's
arms, we were swept past the dangerous promontory and to our infinite
joy carried out into the open Atlantic where there is room for all.
Our boat was subsequently rescued from the shore, and we were able to
screw on a new blade to the propeller.

Just after the big gale in 1908 His Excellency, Sir William MacGregor,
then Governor, was good enough to come and spend a short time
surveying on our north coast. He was an expert in this line, as well
as being a gold-medallist in medicine. Later he changed over from the
Strathcona to the Government steamer Fiona. I acted as pilot among
other capacities on that journey, and was unlucky enough to run her
full tilt onto one of the only sandbanks on the coast in a narrow
passage between some islands and the mainland! The little
Strathcona, following behind, was in time to haul us off again, but
the incident made the captain naturally distrust my ability, and as a
result he would not approach the shore near enough for us to get the
observations which we needed. Although we went round Cape Chidley into
Ungava Bay I could not regain his confidence sufficiently to go
through the straits which I had myself sounded and surveyed. So we
accomplished it in a small boat, getting good observations. Our best
work, however, was done when His Excellency was content to be our
guest. The hospital on board was