362 BLASTING OF THE ICE. {August, 



and twenty miles as the crow flies, was too far to trans- 

 port crew, invalids, and effects, if compelled to abandon 

 next season. Effort must be made, and I had resolved 

 on it. Lieutenant Osborn was directed to take a party 

 to blast the outward barrier. Boats were employed in 

 beating and hauling through the bay ice, so as to discon- 

 nect it as much as possible, and the ship having been 

 warped up to the barrier floe before noon, the 'Pioneer' 

 followed under steam. Repeated reports were brought 

 to me, "that the ice closed as fast as blasted:" this I 

 heeded not. All our available force was now sent on 

 the ice, and I took the command in person ; the vessels 

 moreover were now well wedged in, and no chance of re- 

 treat. Several heavy blasts were applied with great ef- 

 fect, followed up by the expeditious removal of the outer 

 disrupted ice ; and by the aid of steam, both vessels be- 

 gan to move cheerily ahead. " Sauve qui peut" soon be- 

 came the general motto ; and each man springing to his 

 proper vessel, shortly after noon they were once more 

 under canvas, and moving to the eastward. Let any 

 man read the log of that day, and judge simply from its 

 wording if it was intended to illustrate any such feat. 



Before entirely taking leave of Port Refuge, I will 

 merely remark, as to its geology, that the same dreary, 

 dirty, grey magnesian limestone, with but few fossils, 

 prevailed ; and vegetation, excepting in the inner valley 

 under Mount Croker, where deer or musk-oxen had 

 rooted up great spots of deep moss, was very rare. 



On the summit of Mount Croker, whilst engaged with 

 the theodolite, I noticed a very beautiful white ermine 

 (Mustela crminea) in its summer dress. My aide, Mr. 



