TREMENDOUS PRESSURES. 181 



being very tough and elastic. The heaviest strain came iu 

 the stem of the ship, in a longitudinal direction. There was 

 also a heavy lateral strain, especially under the starboard 

 main chains. About nine o'clock one morning a man went 

 down into the fire-room on duty and found the floor-plates 

 covered with water ; he immediately reported the fact, and 

 all pumps were started. The temperature was below 42 

 degrees Fahrenheit (the freezing point of mercury). Mr. 

 Melville had great difficulty in getting up steam and starting 

 the donkey pumps, but succeeded admirably, the men work- 

 ing with their feet and legs in ice- water, and everything 

 frozen and" freezing solid. It was found that the vessl leaked 

 badly in the bows, and we supposed that the hooding of the 

 planks had been started at the stem, and it was not until the 

 last day, June 12th, 1881, that we discovered that the forefoot 

 had been twisted to starboard. 



The carpenter (Sweetman), with Nindermann, worked day 

 and night, and (under the direction of Lieutenant Chipp) 

 built a bulkhead forward of the foremast, which partially 

 confined the water. Melville rigged an economical pump 

 with the Baxter boiler, and the ship was pumped for nearly 

 eighteen months. A windmill pump was also made for sum- 

 mer, but the winds were so light that it hardly paid. During 

 the last few months the leak decreased, owing to the ship 

 floating higher, and we had then only to pump once every 

 half hour by hand. The experience of January 19th gave 

 me great confidence in the ship's company, as it was a very 

 severe test on the men. I was confined to my berth at the 

 time, but knew everything that was going on, and the solid 

 and effective work done was very gratifying. 



As well as I can remember, about fifteen barrels of flour 

 and some other dry provisions were damaged by this acci- 

 dent. Previous to this we had to throw away a large quantity 

 of canned roast-beef marked " Erie brand," it having proved 

 bad. The coldest weather occurred in February, 1880, being 

 58 degrees. There were also some great and remarkable 

 changes of temperature in the course of the day. 



