86 ELISHA KENT KANE. 



the brig and announced to the crew his determina- 

 tion not to remove the vessel. She was destined 

 never again to leave that spot; and there she pro- 

 bahly remains to this day, buried among the accu- 

 mulating and consolidated ice of that far-distant 

 and inhospitable zone. 



Dr. Kane at once set his crew to work to prepare 

 the vessel for the winter, which was rapidly ap- 

 proaching. On the 10th of September the ice 

 around her had become so thick that it bore the 

 pressure of the men. The contents of the hold 

 were removed and deposited in the storehouse on 

 Butler Island. The provisions were so disposed of 

 as to render them more enduring and better pre- 

 served. A deck-house was constructed upon the 

 vessel, which increased her accommodations. The 

 site for an observatory was selected, and a com- 

 mencement made for its construction. This was 

 placed on a rocky inlet situated about a hundred 

 yards from the brig. Dr. Kane named it Fern 

 Rock ; and it was the scene of many of his labori- 

 >us scientific researches and experiments. Four 

 ^alls of granite blocks were erected, cemented to- 

 gether by moss and water which became frozen. 

 Over these walls a substantial wooden roof was 

 laid. On pedestals made of conglomerated gravel 

 and ice, which were perfectly free from all vibra- 



