UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN. 307 



secured in place we shall move the Baxter engine and 

 boiler down to the fire-room, and connect them by gear- 

 ing somewhat similar to that now in use for the pump 

 brake. Then the Baxter and steam-cutter's boiler be- 

 ing side by side, — the one delivering water on the spar 

 deck, the other delivering water through the side, — we 

 shall open the forward floodgates and let all the water 

 come aft into the fire-room. If the Baxter can pump all 

 the water, we shall save the coal now consumed by the 

 steam-cutter's boiler ; if the steam-cutter's boiler can do 

 the work, we shall save the coal now used by the Bax- 

 ter. At all events, if one alone cannot do it, we may 

 light a fire under the steam-cutter's boiler in time to 

 get tea water for supper, and pump with it also, say 

 twelve hours, using the after bilge-pump by hand oc- 

 casionally, if necessary, and thus save the coal now 

 burned in twelve hours by this little boiler. 



I mention these items minutely, to show how care- 

 fully we are watching our coal pile and making every 

 pound do its work. I suppose any sensible person will 

 admit that the propriety of pumping by steam is un- 

 questionable. Under ordinary circumstances of a ves- 

 sel at sea springing a leak, hand pumping for a long- 

 period to make a port is to be expected. But here in 

 the Arctic seas, where for more than two months we 

 have been leaking, and when for perhaps two months 

 more we may be fast in the ice, the situation is quite 

 different. Supposing that we had resorted to hand 

 pumping, very probably one half of the ship's company 

 would have been on the sick-list by this time, or if not 

 sick at least worn out ; and had any accident crushed 

 the ship and forced us to abandon her, in what condi- 

 tion would the crew have been to march two hundred 

 miles over the ice, dragging heavy sledges, to the near- 

 est settlement ? 



