To avoid cutting her down, it was necessary for the _Calliope_ to stop and even to reverse her engines; and her rudder was at the moment--or it seemed so to the eyes of those on board--within ten feet of the reef.

"Between the _Vandalia_ and the reef" (writes Kane, in his excellent report) "it was destruction." To repeat Fritze's manoeuvre with the _Adler_ was impossible; the _Calliope_ was too heavy.

The one possibility of escape was to go out.

If the engines should stand, if they should have power to drive the ship against wind and sea, if she should answer the helm, if the wheel, rudder, and gear should hold out, and if they were favoured with a clear blink of weather in which to see and avoid the outer reef--there, and there only, were safety.

Upon this catalogue of "ifs" Kane staked his all.