370 ADRIFT ON AN ICE-RAFT. 



on, picking our way over the rough and thicker ice. 

 and avoiding the younger ice, which was everywhere 

 porous, and occasionally worn completely away. At 

 length, when about a mile from land, we came upon a 

 crack, which had opened not more than a foot. Cross- 

 ing this, we held in directly for the Point, but, unfor- 

 tunately, the wind was blowing heavily down the 

 Sound ; and, as we neared the land, we found that the 

 water had eaten in between the ice and the shore, 

 obliging us to keep up the coast. To our horror and 

 dismay, we now discovered that the crack which we 

 had crossed had opened at least twenty yards, and we 

 were adrift upon an ice-raft in an open sea, without 

 power to help ourselves. 



The movement of the ice was slow. After waiting 

 a short time, irresolute as to what course we should 

 pursue, it was observed that the outer end of the 

 loosened floe was moving, while the inner edge was 

 almost stationary, owing to a small iceberg, which, 

 being aground and fastened to the floe itself, formed 

 a pivot about which we were revolving. If this berg 

 held, it was evident that the floe would strike the 

 land, and we approached nearer to its margin. 



The event which we had so eagerly desired now 

 happened; and, dashing forward when the collision 

 came, we managed to get upon the land-ice. The 

 tide, being at full flood, facilitated the undertaking. 

 The contact did not long continue. The rotten edge 

 of the floe broke loose from the little berg whicli 

 had given us this most fortunate assistance, and we 

 were not sorry to see the ice-raft drifting away with- 

 out us. 



By this time, the dogs had become more broken. 

 They had borne up admirably during the journey 



