470 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



shape and form, at times making the navigation so intrica'te as to call 

 forth the utmost vigilance and watchfulness from those on board, their 

 edges adorned with pendent fringes of icicles, while the bright blue 

 and green tints reflected from these huge mountains of ice tend to 

 render it a scene such as is hardly to be realized by those who have 

 never witnessed it. The Danish settlement of Lievely, or Godhavn, at 

 the southwest extreme of the island of Disco, and Upernavik, the most 

 northern settlement, are reached, dogs are purchased and taken on 

 board, Esquimaux dog-drivers engaged, and the necessary skins and 

 dog-food procured. 



Now commences the first really serious work of the exploring ships. 

 One day's run from Upernavik and Cape Shackleton is reached, from 

 which is sighted the dreaded floe-ice of Melville Bay, a spot which, 

 until the introduction of steam, has proved fatal to many a gallant 

 bark. To an inexperienced eye this ice seems of an impassable and 

 impenetrable nature, but to those acquainted with ice-navigation a lead 

 may appear through which the ship is steered. Much depends on the 

 wind in making a passage through Melville Bay. If it is calm, or if 

 the wind is from the north, the ice loosens, and ships must then make 

 the best of their time and push on speedily ; but if the wind is from 

 the south it causes the loose ice-floes of Baffin's Bay to pack against 

 the land or fixed ice, and woe betide the unfortunate vessel that should 

 be nipped between the two I The only means of escaping destruction 

 is by cutting a dock in the land-ice and warpmg the ship into it. 

 Steam, however, has of late years produced such a revolution in ice- 

 navigation, that the animated scene of 200 or 300 seamen landed on 

 the floe, busily employed in the operation of cutting docks, is now sel- 

 dom or never witnessed. The last English Government Expedition, 

 that of Sir Edward Belcher, took no less than five weeks going through 

 Melville Bay, although the expedition was accompanied by a couple 

 of steam-tenders, commanded by experienced and energetic officers. 

 When Commander Markham went through Melville Bay in 1873, in 

 the steam-whaler Arctic, the time occupied was only sixty hours, 

 and last year the whole of the whaling-fleet succeeded in making the 

 passage in three days ! Such is the advantage we have gained by 

 the aid of steam. Detention in Melville Bay is, even with a steamer, 

 probable, but seldom for a long duration. When such is the case, ice- 

 anchors are got out, and the ship is moored to the floe, waiting an 

 opportunity for the ice to ease offi Perhaps it is only a neck of ice 

 that pi'events the ship from proceeding; in which case, with a full 

 head of steam, the objectionable barrier is rammed, and the ship is 

 forced through, emerging into the open water beyond. Even during 

 these detentions the time may be beguiled in shooting looms and 

 rotges, which are capital eating, harpooning narwhals and stalking 

 seals, or in the more exciting sport of bear-hunting. Sport, together 

 with the strange and novel scenery, and the beauties of the midnight sun, 



