230 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



January 2QtJi Monday. — The beginning of this day 

 finds us at our usual occupation : running pumps and 

 trying to stop leaks. We continue to hold our own 

 against the water, and that is about all. Of course our 

 bulkhead across the fore peak presents no obstacle 

 to the passage of water aft between the ceiling and 

 planking, and the ashes and plaster of Paris have not 

 got down to the bottom of the spaces between the 

 frames. We therefore set to work to-day to rip out 

 the ceiling above and below the bilge strake on each 

 side. This was a hard operation, for the ceiling below 

 the bilge strake is of teak, and had to be literally splin- 

 tered out. The ceiling above was of lighter material 

 and more easily removed. All day was required to do 

 the work, and to stuff oakum down well alongside the 

 keelson, and drive plugs wherever a jet of water showed 

 itself. We had the satisfaction, however, of seeing 

 some good results, for as we plugged up below the 

 water came up and out above ; and, therefore, if we can 

 succeed in filling up the frame spaces there will be so 

 much less room for water to flow through, and we may ■ 

 dam it up in the fore peak. Unfortunately all this 

 takes time, and, while we are progressing slowly, our 

 coal is burning rapidly at the rate of nearly a ton a day. 



We moved the Baxter engine and boiler forward to- 

 day, and connected it with the gearing made by Mel- 

 ville to the spar deck bilge-pump. It worked beauti- 

 fully, doing as much work as the auxiliary pump. The 

 event of the day, however, was the reappearance of 

 the sun ! the sun ! in all his power and majesty. All 

 hands turned out to see him and to enjoy his light 

 wdiile it lasted. The pleasing novelty of seeing genu- 

 ine sun shadows for the first time in seventy-one days 

 was thoroughly refreshing. Although the glare was 



