226 CLEARING DECK. [CHAP.V. 



crushed. The ice all round was so splintered and 

 jagged, that to put a boat upon it was out of the 

 question. Neither could it be made, even for an 

 hour, a deposit of provisions, full as it was of 

 clear cracks and small holes, the production of 

 each instant. Nothing therefore could have 

 been conveyed to the land, distant at least seven 

 or nine miles, and I think it at least doubtful 

 whether any one, even without incumbrance, 

 could have reached it. 



The work of clearing the deck with pick-axe 

 and shovel went on briskly ; and at 3 h p. m. the 

 ship rose up four inches, and towards evening, 

 when the after-part was completed, eight inches 

 more. The men under the inspection of the 

 officers, had exerted themselves considerably, 

 because, according to past experience, it was 

 thought the disturbance would recommence 

 about three o'clock. Nothing, however, beyond 

 a partial motion was then perceptible, nor until 

 5 h 15 m p. m. when the ship was lifted up abaft. 

 From that time, symptoms of the influence of 

 some under-current were audible in the cabin, 

 where the concussions of passing ice striking 

 underneath were too clearly heard to be misun- 

 derstood. It ended in the separation of two 

 edges of a large crack, not more than fifty yards 

 from the ship, which opened in the space of five 

 minutes into a hole of water. The extraordinary 



