They were then lashed fast, and left for time of need.
During the day, we had gradually come up with what we at first had taken for a cape or a promontory from the mainland, but which, by five o'clock, P.M., was discovered to be a group of mountainous islands, the same known on the chart as the "Lower Savage Isles." The course was changed five points, to pass them to the southward.

By seven o'clock we were off abreast one of the largest of them.

It was our intention to stand on this course during the night.

The day had at no time, however, been exactly fair.

Foggy clouds had hung about the sun; and now a mist began to rise from the water, much as it had done the previous evening.
"If I thought there might be any tolerable safe anchorage among those islands," muttered the captain, with his glass to his eye, "I should rather beat in there than take the risk of running on to another iceberg in the fog." This sentiment was unanimous.
"There seems to be a clear channel between this nearest island and the next," remarked Raed, who had been looking attentively for some moments.