THE FATAL NIP. 201 



ready for immediate use, and at this time every step was 

 taken for the impending catastrophe. 



About three P. M., Machinist Lee reported the ice coming 

 through the bunkers, and the captain immediately ordered, 

 ' Lower away ! ' men having been previously stationed at 

 the boats' falls and some provisions put on the ice. Melville 

 immediately contradicted the report, and the captain delayed 

 the order. Thus the ship lay for two hours and a half, the 

 pressure of the ice relaxing at times and the ship almost 

 righting. Then again she would be hove over to twenty- 

 three degrees, and we felt sure there was no longer any 

 hope for her, for she would not lift. There was nothing in 

 the world to be done to assist her at that time. We had to 

 depend upon her shape. She floated much higher than when 

 we entered the pack, and that led us to hope that she would 

 lift easier in the nip ; for the pressure of the ice would be 

 below the point where her sides commenced to tumble home. 

 On the starboard side, while she was heeling, the nip was 

 felt on her timber heads, which were the weakest parts of 

 the frame ; but on the port side she was pressed below the 

 turn of the bilge. Her fate was practically decided the 

 moment we found she would not lift, and a large amount of 

 provisions and clothing was then placed on the ice in readi- 

 ness for the catastrophe. 



One watch went to supper at half-past five, and the officers 

 had bread and tea in the cabin at six. I was on the sick 

 list, with eyes bandaged, but told the doctor that I could get 

 the charts and instruments together and be of assistance. 

 He said he would ask the captain. Each officer kept his 

 knapsack in his room, and most of us thought it wns time 

 to have them on deck ; but we would not make the move 

 until ordered for fear of attracting the attention of the crew, 

 who were at work on provisions and boats. While I was 

 taking tea, I saw Dunbar bring his knapsack up and put it 

 in the cabin. Feeling that the moment had arrived, I went 

 for mine, and at the head of the ladder on my return the 

 doctor said to me : 



