quite two leagues the hour, I should say, before that
strong and steady wind. Soon the village that we had left vanished; then
the mountains behind it grew dim and in time vanished also, and there
remained nothing but the great wilderness upon our left and the vast
sea around. Steering clear of the land so as to avoid sunken rocks, we
sailed on all that day and all the night that followed, and when the
light came again perceived that we were running past a coastline that
was backed by high mountains on some of which lay snow. By the second
evening these mountains had become tremendous, and between them I saw
valleys down which ran streams of water.

Thus we went on for three days and nights, the wind from the north
blowing all the while and the _balsa_ taking no hurt, by the end of
which time I reckon that we had travelled as far along the coast as we
had done in six months when we journeyed over land, at which I rejoiced.
Kari rejoiced also, because he said that the shape and greatness of the
mountains we were passing reminded him of those of his own country, to
which he believed that we were drawing near.

On the fourth morning, however, our troubles began, since the friendly
wind from the north grew steadily stronger, till at length it rose to a
gale. Soon our little rag of canvas was torn away, but still we rushed
on before the following seas at a very great speed.

Now I thought of trying to make the land, but found that we could not do
so with the oars, because of the current that set out towards the ocean
against which it was impossible to urge our clumsy craft. Therefore we
must content ourselves with trying to keep her head straight with the
steering oar, but even then we were often whirled round and round.

About two hours after noon the sky clouded over, and there burst upon us
a great thunder-storm with torrents of rain; also the wind grew stronger
and stronger.

Now we could no longer steer or do anything except lie flat upon
the bottom of the _balsa_, gripping the cords with which it was tied
together, to save ourselves from being washed overboard, since often
the foaming crests of the waves broke upon us. Indeed, it was marvellous
that this frail craft should hang together at all, but owing to the
lightness of the reeds and the blown-up skins that were tied in them,
still she floated and, whirling round and round, sped upon her southward
path. Yet I knew that this could not endure for very long, and