284 THE JEANNETTE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



Herald Island and "Wrangel Land were both in sight at 

 this time. In two days the young ice on our port was strong 

 enough to walk on, so we were held at times, getting 

 heavily nipped, until the morning of November 24th, when 

 we broke away from one floe-piece and drifted in a perilous 

 manner. One heavy " nip" on the Jeannette, listing her to 

 nine degrees, made her creak and groan like s*3me levia- 

 than in death agonies ; weather thick ; no land visible. In 

 the evening, the ice being quiet, we got some tea. A 

 general feeling of thankfulness was apparent on the faces of 

 all. The only perceptible effects of this severe handling 

 were about the joiner-work and a hole stove in the bulwarks 

 on the port side. During these heavy nips and scenes of 

 commotion the dogs, some forty in number, often broke out 

 in choruses of howls most unearthly. 



On Christmas Day all hands, fore and aft, enjoyed a good 

 dinner, with a bill of fare for the cabin mess. The men 

 came aft dressed for the occasion. They offered seasonable 

 greetings, and then returned to the " deck house," where an 

 impromptu entertainment of singing, dancing, and so on was 

 given, and enjoyed by all. 



New Year's Day was a pleasant one, being ushered in by 

 the ringing of the ship's bell and cheers. In the evening a 

 nice entertainment was given by the men. A programme 

 of the dinner, which I have saved, reads thus : 



SOUP. 

 Julienne. 



FISH. 

 Spiced salmon. 



MEATS. 

 Arctic turkey (roast seal). Cold ham. 



VEGETABLES. 



Canned green peas. Succotash. 

 Macaroni, with cheese and tomatoes. 



DESSERT. 

 English canned plum pudding, with cold sauce. 



Mince pie. 



Muscat dates, figs, almonds, lilberts, English walnuts, raisins, mixed 

 candy from France direct by the ship. 



