MEYER LOST AND RESCUED. G29 



the storm set in, so we are obliged to starve for a while, 

 hoping in God it \vill not be for a long time. The worst 

 of it is we have no blubber for the lamp, and cannot cook 

 or melt any water. Everything looks very gloomy. Set 

 a watch ; half the men are lying down, the others walking 

 outside the tent. 



" April 8. Last night, at twelve o'clock, the ice broke 

 again between the tent and the boat, which were close to- 

 gether so close that a man could not walk between them. 

 There the ice split, separating the boat and tent, carrying 

 away boat, kayak and Mr. Meyer. There we stood, help- 

 less, looking at each other. It was blowing and snowing, 

 very cold, and a fearful sea running. The ice was break- 

 ing, lapping and crushing. The sight was grand, but 

 dreadful to us in our position. Mr. Meyer cast the kayak 

 adrift, but it went to leeward of us. He can do nothing 

 with the boat alone, so they are lost to us unless God re- 

 turns them. The natives went off on a piece of ice with 

 their paddles and ice-spears. The work looks dangerous ; 

 we may never see them again. But we are lost without 

 the boat, so that they are as well off. After an hour's 

 struggle we can make out, with what little light there is, 

 that they have reached the boat, about half a mile off. 

 There they appear to be helpless, the ice closing in all 

 around, and we can do nothing until daylight. Daylight 

 at last 3 A. M. There we see them with the boat ; 

 they can do nothing with her. The kayak is the same dis- 

 tance in another direction. We must venture off; may as 

 well be crushed by the ice and drowned as to remain here 

 without the boat. Off we venture, all but two, who dare 

 not make the attempt. We jump or step from one piece 

 to another as the swell heaves it and the ice comes close 

 together, one piece being high, the other low, so that you 

 watch your chance to jump. All who ventured reached 

 the boat in safety, thank God ! and after a long struggle 

 we got her safe to camp again. Then we ventured for tlia 



