168 FEARFUL STORM. 



to a very few yards. Hearing a rustling noise 

 like the rushing of water apparently beneath us, 

 we supposed that the floe was already separated, 

 and that the consequences would soon be ma- 

 nifested alongside, but very shortly all specula- 

 tions were merged in the reality before us. 

 Since our departure from England no such 

 storm had been experienced. Within an hour 

 it raged with such fury, that not a man could 

 face it. Several who endeavoured to perform 

 some duty outside the ship were instantly frost- 

 bitten, and obliged to return, and the officer of 

 the watch in merely going from the housing to 

 the tafrail to register the thermometers had the 

 whole of his face frozen. Not that the tem- 

 perature was so low as it had been a few days 

 previous, for it was then 53° minus, and now 

 only 30° minus, but the rapid extraction of heat 

 was beyond endurance, and a very short expo- 

 sure would have been certainly fatal to the 

 hardiest. 



As nisfht advanced the barometer indicated a 

 change, but the storm still raged like a hurri- 

 cane, and covered the ship with snow drift. 

 Our topmasts shook like wands, and the lee 

 rigging was forced out like a bow : piles of snow 

 were whirled on the lee side of the housing, 

 until the chain which sustained the rough spar 

 that formed the ridge pole broke, and the 



