224 CHAOTIC COMMOTION. [CHAP.V. 



had arrived before me. Here we saw a rent in 

 the ice, extending from the stern of the ship to 

 the edge of the floe, and another stretching from 

 the bow directly ahead to the eastern brink ; 

 thus, in fact, forming a continuous line of 

 separation directly through the centre. The 

 hands were immediately turned up and set to 

 work in bringing on board the armourer's forge 

 from a shed alongside, and hoisting up the 

 dingy,* which, for convenience and preservation 

 had been stowed on the floe within our wall. 

 The ship now began to complain, and strained 

 considerably under the counter. She then heeled 

 over to port, and relieved herself about six inches 

 from the starboard embankment against the side, 

 making by the effort gaping rents through the 

 snow walls. At this time, the crashing, grind- 

 ing:, and rushing noise beneath, as well as at the 

 borders of the floe, the rents and cracks in all 

 directions towards the ship, herself suffering 

 much, the freezing cold of 33°-, together with 

 a W.N.W. wind, and the dimness of the early 

 hour, combined to render our situation not a 

 little perilous and uncomfortable. 1 had been 

 alone to examine the edge of the outer ice, which 

 though greatly disturbed and making a deafening 

 noise, had not yet broken into our floe. But at 

 5 h a.m.; a commotion like an earthquake took 

 place; additional cracks displayed themselves 



* A small boat. 



