THE RETURN OF DAYLIGHT. 249 



ward of the water-tight bulkhead, and then Nindemann 

 heard a noise of water falhng hke an overflow, while 

 he was abaft the bulkhead. Upon examining, and lis- 

 tening attentively, it was located, as exactly as could 

 be under the circumstances, as coming from between 

 the planking and frames outside of the bulkhead and 

 abaft of it. As a necessary sequence the water rose 

 much higher in the fire-room bilge. As soon as the 

 Baxter boiler could be got to work again the water 

 was speedily reduced to twenty-two inches, when the 

 overflow ceased, and only the usual small amount, that 

 is, one half inch per hour of water, found its way aft 

 into the fire-room. The steam-cutter's boiler being in 

 readiness, steam was got on it to run the steam-cutter's 

 engine in connection with the converted bilge-pump 

 of the main engine. The combination worked well, 

 pumping out dry the engine-room bilge. It was found, 

 however, that the furnace of the cutter's boiler was 

 too small to keep up a continuous pumping, the steam 

 running down too low whenever the fire was cleaned 

 or the boiler was being pumped and blown. As we 

 want to be sure that this little boiler will do all that is 

 expected of it, and shall be in its most efficient state, 

 ready to answer any sudden demand, Melville proposes 

 to cut down its bridge wall, take out its nine-inch grate 

 bar, and insert one sixteen inches long, thus increasing 

 its grate surface from 144 square inches to 256 square 

 inches. This is immediately commenced, and to-mor- 

 row I hope it will be done, and we shall be able to dis- 

 pense with the main boiler altogether. 



A bear came near the ship at seven A. m., but being 

 frightened by the dogs made his escape before any one 

 could get a shot at him. 



February 13th, Friday. — Completed the work of re- 



