240 Chapter VI. 



of wind in some more or less distant quarter it is easy 

 to understand the tremendous pressure that must result. 



Such an ice conflict is undeniably a stupendous 

 spectacle. One feels one's self to be in the presence 

 of Titanic forces, and it is easy to understand how 

 timid souls may be overawed and feel as if nothing 

 could stand before it. For when the packing begins 

 in earnest, it seems as though there could be no spot on 

 the earth's surface left unshaken. First you hear a sound 

 like the thundering rumble of an earthquake far away on 

 the great waste ; then you hear it in several places, always 

 coming nearer and nearer. The silent ice world re-echoes 

 with thunders ; nature's giants are awakening to the 

 battle. The ice cracks on every side of you, and begins 

 to pile itself up ; and all of a sudden you too find your- 

 self in the midst of the struggle. There are howlings and 

 thunderings round you ; you feel the ice trembling, and 

 hear it rumbling under your feet ; there is no peace any- 

 where. In the semi-darkness you can see it piling and 

 tossing itself up into high ridges nearer and nearer you 

 floes 10, 12, 15 feet thick, broken, and flung on the top of 

 each other as if they were featherweights. They are 

 quite near you now, and you jump away to save your life. 

 But the ice splits in front of you, a black gulf opens, and 

 water streams up. You turn in another direction, but 

 there through the dark you can just see a new ridge of 

 moving ice-blocks coming towards you. You try another 

 direction, but there it is the same. All round there is 



