116 PREPARING FOR AN EMERGENCY. 



forward. In this alarming manner the ice 

 brought up, leaving the stern elevated seven and 

 a half feet, and the bow jammed against the 

 ponderous masses ahead. Nothing could be 

 done by us to relieve the ship ; and as there were 

 no floes of sufficient surface on which to place 

 boats and provisions, if driven to that necessity, 

 I decided on hoisting out the two whale boats 

 from the skids, and hanging them up alongside, 

 so that these with the third and the two cutters, 

 might be lowered at a moment's notice. A fur- 

 ther quantity of provision also was to be got up, 

 with ammunition and other necessaries to sup- 

 port life in case of the worst. As for the barge, 

 though in itself the most suitable boat, her size 

 and weight would have rendered her totally un- 

 manageable on the broken and moving ice which 

 surrounded us. The day was spent in executing 

 these arrangements, and I waited with anxiety 

 for the hour when the returning flood-tide 

 should again act. With the wind dead on shore, 

 it was not very likely to loosen the ice ; and if it 

 packed it still more, who could calculate on the 

 result ? As midnight drew near, an occasional 

 sharp crack about the counter warned us that 

 something was giving way, but it passed ; and 

 on Sept. 28th, though the breeze had rounded 

 more to the eastward, the ship had not altered 

 her inclination. Much snow fell, and it blew 



14 



