Who knew if she would not even have the audacity to pass between her two enemies, to coax them after her, until the hour when, as night closed in, they would be forced to abandon the useless pursuit! The city of Buffalo was now in plain view on the border of the lake.
I saw its huge buildings, its church towers, its grain elevators.
Only four or five miles ahead, Niagara river opened to the northward.
Under these new conditions which way should I turn?
When we passed in front of the destroyers, or perhaps between them, should I not throw myself into the waters I was a good swimmer, and such a chance might never occur again.

The captain could not stop to recapture me.

By diving could I not easily escape, even from a bullet?
I should surely be seen by one or other of the pursuers.

Perhaps, even, their commanders had been warned of my presence on board the "Terror." Would not a boat be sent to rescue me?
Evidently my chance of success would be even greater, if the "Terror" entered the narrow waters of Niagara River.

At Navy Island I would be able to set foot on territory that I knew well.