Crossword-Solution: HEADWIND 8 letters, 9 clues 🏆 scrabble score: 16

The Athabaska River was a-flood and clear of ice; 13 scows of freight, with 60 half-breeds and Indians to man them, left at the same time, and in spite of a strong headwind we drifted northward fully 31 miles an hour.

Thus, with a fair wind, by increasing the pitch, without increasing the revolutions, the full power of the engine is effectually exerted in driving the ship, instead of consuming fuel in driving the engine to no purpose; and with a headwind, by diminishing the pitch, the engines are made to do their utmost duty; and when the ship is under canvas only, the blades of the propeller may be placed in line with the stern-post, and thus offer little resistance.

The men pulled away cheerfully and, although this was very hard work on account of the headwind and sea, we experienced no great difficulty until we had rounded Point Whitmore, at the north of Babbage Island, where we all at once found ourselves in broken water, so very shoal that between each breaker the boat was bumped with great violence against the bottom, and must have been very soon stove in had we not speedily got into deeper soundings.

The voyage began unfortunately, for, meeting a headwind, they were forced to put into Falmouth, where a tempest ill-treated them sorely.

The yacht, which had latterly been beating against a headwind, now ran gaily before it towards the Scottish coast, but when night closed in no outlying islands were visible.