THE RETURN TO COLD AND DARKNESS. 473 



hunting parties, on going out this morning, found an 

 opening in the ice about two miles southeast and east 

 from the ship, and extending in alternate open and 

 closed spots for a short distance. Where they were 

 closed large ridges of piled-up slabs seven and eight 

 feet thick rose to heights of thirty and forty feet. As 

 this occurred since yesterday, the pressure and up- 

 heaval must have taken place during last night. While 

 going out to the bear-trap yesterday with Mr. Dunbar 

 we noticed several cracks along the ice, formed over 

 what had been a lane of water an eighth of a mile 

 northwest of the ship, which lane extended in an arc 

 of a circle, or rather curve, around to northeast on one 

 hand, and west on the other, at distances varying from 

 one eighth mile to two miles, ending at rough and 

 heavy ice-ridges. That ice appeared subjected then to 

 some great strain, and to-day I was concerned to find 

 that the new ice around us was receiving strains and 

 pressure. The hunters — Mr. Dunbar especially — de- 

 scribed the grinding and crashing having recommenced 

 two miles ahead of the ship as they turned to come in ; 

 and when Nindemann came home, just before supper, 

 he reported that the ice was at work heavily, or, as he 

 expressed it, " the whole ocean was alive." 



During the evening various snaps and cracks were 

 heard around the ship, and occasionally we had a light 

 jar. Going out repeatedly for examination, we at last 

 found crevices and cracks meandering along ahead of 

 the ship under the stern athwart ships, and here and 

 there in other places. 



For nearly nine months we have had a rest, and now 

 our old cares and anxieties begin again, to end — when? 

 Our circumstances are somewhat different now, for we 

 have an injured ship, small amount of coal, and hardly 



