266 TREMENDOUS HUBBUB. [CHAP.V. 



in a line for the shore ice, which there seemed 

 little prospect with such a gale of long avoiding. 

 The ship cracked and shook violently, and no 

 longer able to offer direct resistance rose several 

 inches. It was a boisterous and restless night, 

 passed in wearisome listening to the incessant 

 crashing, which, for aught known to the contrary, 

 indicated the final dissolution of our hope and 

 stronghold, the floe. The hubbub at length 

 reached its climax. A hollow grinding, as from 

 the onward motion of some vast body, came 

 louder and louder on the ear, and, speed and 

 sound increasing as it approached, finally burst 

 with deafening fury on the ship, causing such 

 fearful cracks and ominous tremblings, that all 

 waited the result in painful suspense. A little 

 more and she must go ! What of human con- 

 struction could withstand the violence of such 

 an onset ! Still she continued to rise as the 

 pressure increased. In an instant it ceased, and 

 all was still as death. 



After midnight, March 10th, the wind veered 

 more to the north, blowing heavily in squalls ; 

 and, in the north-west circle of the heavens, a 

 beautiful meteor was seen shooting athwart the 

 sky in an elliptic course, with a brilliant pale 

 blue light. After this we were indulged with a 

 few hours of repose, but from 4 h to 8 h a. m. we 

 were again disturbed, and again listened with 



