ELISHA KENT KANE. 69 







her from the main-chains aft, keeping her stern ele- 

 vated in its unsightly position. The pack (as it may 

 now be called) became quite loose, and, but for our per- 

 tinacious friend acting as an immense drag upon us, 

 we might have made some headway in any desired 

 direction. All our efforts were now turned to getting 

 rid of it.- With saws, axes, and crowbars, the people 

 went to work with a right good will, and after hard 

 labor for forty-eight hours succeeded. The vessel 

 was again afloat, and she righted. The joy of all 

 hands vented itself spontaneously in three hearty 

 cheers. The after-part of the false keel was gone, 

 being carried away by the ice. The loss of it, how- 

 ever, I was glad to perceive, did not materially 

 affect the sailing or working qualities of the vessel. 

 The rudders were shipped, and we were once more 

 ready to move, as efficient as on the day we left 

 New York. 



"Steering to the S.E. and working slowly through 

 the loose but heavy pack, on the 9th we parted from 

 the Rescue in a dense fog, she taking a different lead 

 from the one the Advance was pursuing." 



The sudden resolution which had been adopted 

 by the commander of the expedition on the 13th of 

 the preceding September, to desert the exploring 

 British squadrons and return to the United States 

 re infecta, filled the crews of both of his vessels with 



