186 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNET'lE. 



of US one large sheet of ice would ride over another large 

 sheet, and the two come down against us ; the port floe 

 would decline to yield ; the two sheets to leeward would 

 break edges and pile up blocks against our starboard 

 side, and then begin pressing against these ; the ship 

 would groan and squirm and then seem dead, while the 

 deck trembled. This might last half an hour, and when 

 it seemed as if wood and iron must give, the port floe 

 would hump up and split, and we would be pushed on 

 for another nip. This sort of thing lasted until three 

 p. M., and then the nip seemed to be hardest of all, and 

 remained so. We could not tell whether it let up or 

 not, for we were jammed tight, heeling 2i° to star- 

 board. The ship could not rise, for the ice was only a 

 foot thick, and took the ship's side above the bends 

 only; it was simply a question of its going through 

 her, or of her being strong enough to stand it. She 

 was strong enough, and that is all we can say. If she 

 had not been strong enough she would have been cut 

 in two. Eight hours of this mental tension is enough 

 for one day. 



November oQth, Sunday. — A day of peace and quiet 

 doubly acceptable after the strain of yesterday. The 

 gale blew itself out at six a. m., and we had a bright 

 moonlight and starlight until the struggling daylight 

 came into play at nine. Of course, we do not see the 

 sun at all, and our noon is but the twilight of ordinary 

 latitudes. Occasionally it is beautiful indeed, as, for 

 instance, to-day, when we had a few golden and red 

 streaks in the S., a clear blue sky to about 20° in arc, 

 and the remainder of the heavens dark blue, illumi- 

 nated by a full moon. Venus w^as visible at noon. The 

 ice around us made a picture in its lights and shadows. 

 The broken pack surrounded us in all directions, while, 



