394 NOVELTY OF SCENE. [CHAP.VI. 



of ice, took this significant method of express- 

 ing their feelings. It was a sight not to be 

 forgotten. Standing on the tafrail, I saw the 

 dark bubbling water below, and enormous masses 

 of ice gently vibrating and springing to the sur- 

 face ; the first Lieutenant was just climbing 

 over the stern, while other groups were standing 

 apart, separated by this new gulf; and the spars, 

 together with working implements, were resting 

 half in the water, half on the ice, whilst the 

 saw, the instrument whereby this sudden effect 

 had been produced, was bent double, and in that 

 position forcibly detained by the body it had 

 severed. 



I was then informed that having cut to within 

 four feet of the stern-post, they had ceased for 

 a few minutes, to refresh themselves, when the 

 disruption took place, barely giving them time to 

 clamber up as they could for safety ; whilst in the 

 midst of all this bustle the first Lieutenant, finding 

 himself raised up by the ice on which he stood 

 to the highest step of one of the stern ladders, 

 was seen composedly mounting it to come on 

 board. Nor were the other parties less fortunate 

 in escaping accidents; so that our joy on the oc- 

 casion was not saddened by any serious misfor- 

 tune. We soon found that the ship had only 

 sunk down to the ten feet seven inches and a 

 quarter mark forward, and to the eleven feet nine 



