THROUGH THE "GREAT NIGHT" 91 



Then accompanied by the Captain I made a careful 

 tour of inspection of and about the ship, pointing out 

 the possibilities of our position, and indicating what 

 should be done to provide as far as possible against 

 all contingencies. A full watch was kept on and 

 everyone else turned in with their clothes on. The 

 following day men and officers and Eskimos were 

 busy running out all available lines from the port 

 bow, quarter, and amidships, and also from the mast- 

 heads. 



The weather continued clear and the temperatures 

 very moderate. The evening flood-tide caused a 

 great deal of movem.ent and noise all about us, but 

 brought no direct pressure upon the ship. 



I had no fears that the Roosevelt would be crushed 

 by any onset of the ice, but I did apprehend that she 

 might be forced bodily up on to the ice-foot, thrown 

 on her beam ends and pushed so far inshore that it 

 would be impossible to float her another season. 

 Another possibility was that a particularly violent 

 gale, such as might occur at any time, would tear us 

 from our moorings and carry us out into the moving 

 pack, in which event there would not be one chance 

 in a hundred of our being able to get the ship back 

 to her present position again. 



On the morning of the 28th a gust of south wind 

 blowing through the ventilator holes in my stateroom 

 door woke me and I went on deck immediately. It 

 was then very clear, with the wind light and baffling 

 from every quarter, evidently gathering its forces. 

 At 5 A. M. it came on with a rush from the south, and 

 increased in fury until nothing could be heard above 



