400 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



when this will stop. In order to get an idea of the cor- 

 rect thickness of the ice in our neighborhood (in case 

 subsequent emergency should make it advisable to dig 

 or saw out a dock, if possible, and make an effort to 

 drag the ship into it), I directed Chipp to make bor- 

 ings, and he reports, as far as can be made out, the 

 situation as follows : — 



The ship is held firmly by a cradle of ice which, from 

 the mainmast aft, averages five feet in thickness. (Un- 

 der the stem it is five feet four inches thick below the 

 surface of the water.) From ahead to the mainmast, 

 about, there is a second floe piece which shoved under 

 the first floe on January 19th. 



Thickness of ice below the surface of the water : — 



Under the stem 5 ft. 4 in. 



50 ft. astern 4 ft. 3 in. 



100 ft. astern 4 ft. 3 in. 



150 ft. astern 5 ft. in. 



250 yds. starboard quarter 5 ft. in. 



The ice as a general thing has its surface about four 

 inches above the level of the water. This is what is 

 left of the direct freezing since November 30, 1879, of 

 course thawing having taken place on the surface by 

 reason of the sun's rays, and underneath by action of 

 the warmth of the water, say 34°. 



In company with Melville and Dunbar I walked one 

 of Mr. Dunbar's mile estimates (about two and a half 

 miles in fact) to the S. E., where there has been an 

 opening affording seal shooting. In a straight line, as 

 a bird would fly, it is about one and a quarter miles dis- 

 tant, the increased amount being caused by necessary 

 detours, to go around small ponds which one cannot 

 jump over, and which are in places over one's boot-tops 

 in depth. These are, of course, formed from surface 



