272 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



happy. They have learned considerable English (and 

 always manage very cleverly to express their mean- 

 ings), play bean poker, are as fat as partridges, and are 

 longing for the breaking up of the ice and a chance 

 at the walrus and seal. 



They are naturally and intuitively the most polite 

 men I have met outside of cultivated society, and would 

 even compare favorably with some of the choicest within 

 it in that respect. Upon meeting an ofl&cer first in the 

 morning, a touch of the cap and a good-morning are 

 immediately tendered. If you do or say anything for 

 them that they see or hear, " Thank you " is immedi- 

 ately your reply. If you thank them, " You are wel- 

 come " is ready. And all this in a manly, straightfor- 

 ward way, without any cringing or eye serving. A 

 quiet dignity pervades everything in their intercourse 

 with their shipmates. 



March \st, Monday. — The pumping proceeded as 

 usual until 10.30 p. m., when Melville came to me and 

 reported that the Baxter boiler had broken down, the 

 crown sheet having come down by heat and pressure. 

 This of course necessitated the renewal of hand pump- 

 ing while rejiairs were being made. I was surprised to 

 find how easily the bilge-pump got the water down and 

 kept it down by pumping by hand ten minutes and 

 resting five minutes. I am of the opinion that so much 

 ice has got under the ship by direct freezing, and the 

 shoving under of floes, as to prevent the entrance of a 

 very large amount of water by lowering the water head. 

 Of course, when we are water borne again this will be 

 proven or disproven, but it can hardly be supposed that 

 the leak has diminished by the closing up of any wound. 

 We might dispense altogether wdth steam pumping, so 

 far as our ability to keep the ship free is concerned ; 



