THE DEAD OF WINTER. 223 



notch of his strength, whether in engine work, at the 

 pumps, or carrying provisions aft; and though there 

 seems but little described on this page, the day has 

 been spent in harder work than falls to the lot of most 

 men. Still everything is done quietly and with pre- 

 cision, and aided by Chipp and Melville, whose supe- 

 riors the navy cannot show, with their untiring energy, 

 splendid judgment, and fertility of device, I am confi- 

 dent of being able to do all that man can do to carry 

 on the expedition to a safe termination. 



Considerable ice movement and pressure during the 

 day. The ship has increased her heel to three degrees 

 to starboard, and floe and ship have swung to south by 

 west one and one fourth points. Light breezes between 

 S. and W. all day, and temperature struggling up from 

 minus 44° to minus 37°. The movement of the ice 

 seems to be to the eastward. There are numerous 

 ridges in sight where the floes have been broken and 

 piled up upon coming in contact. The floe around the 

 ship remains as yesterday, but when pressed yields in 

 heavy surges which cause the .ship to snap and crack. 

 A careful examination shows no sign of anything being 

 strained or broken inside below, in spite of the pressure ; 

 and from watching the incoming of the water we are 

 still of the opinion that the injury to the ship consists 

 of the breaking of the forefoot and the starting of the 

 garboard strakes. 



January 21st, Wednesday. — The work of running 

 the line of steam-piping to the auxiliary steam-pump 

 in the galley-room was completed by one A. m. The 

 steam-pipe was, as I have before said, led to the steam- 

 whistle pipe, which of course communicated with the 

 main boiler. LTpon turning on the steam the pipe was 

 found to be frozen, and steam would not pass. We 



