FAST IN THE ICE. 159 



ever, taken place in the ice, but whether it is owing to 

 a reduction of temperature or a reduction of pressure I 

 cannot say. About five hundred yards ahead of the 

 ship is a crack in the field a foot wide, and extending 

 in a circular direction for half a mile, and five hundred 

 yards ahead of that a crack six feet wide, and extend- 

 ing the same distance or more. In both cases the rent 

 is a neat one ; the water coming up within a foot and 

 a half of the surface, but rapidly freezing in this tem- 

 perature. Our hunters were out immediately in quest 

 of walrus and seal, but beyond seeing, as they say, one 

 walrus and a bear, accomplished nothing. 



Held divine service at 10.30 A. m. I am glad to say 

 that the steward's illness has proved nothing but a mild 

 attack of nausea, and has yielded so readily to treat- 

 ment that he is now around all right again. 



October 27th, 3Ionday. — Added two seals to our lar- 

 der. In order to have sleds and provisions ready for 

 an emergency calling for a hasty abandonment of the 

 ship, I issued an order to-day to put five sleds in per- 

 fect traveling order ; also an order in relation to winter 

 routine, and but two cooked meals each day. The 

 amount of coal consumed in the galley is too great to 

 be kept up, when we consider the additional expendi- 

 ture required in the deck-house, observatory, and per- 

 haps ward-room, and the necessity for our steaming at 

 least a little during next spring and summer. To ob- 

 serve carefully the effect of the winter on us, I also 

 issued an order to the surgeon in reference to monthly 

 examinations of officers and men. Discontinue after 

 this date the taking of sea temperatures and water 

 densities. 



October 2Sth, Tuesday. — Thanks to a clear sky, this 

 morning at four o'clock Mr. Danenhower got excellent 



