LEAVING THE SHIP BEHIND. 



57: 



move toward the port side, but after advancing a foot 

 or two came to rest. Employed one watch in hauling 

 heavy floe into a small canal on the port bow, to close 

 it up, and receive the greater part of the thrust. 



The ice at ten a. m. had advanced toward the port 

 side until these floe pieces had received the thrust, and 

 everything quieted down again. The situation of the 

 ship and her surroundings may be seen below. 



At four p. M. the ice 

 came down in great 

 force all along the port 

 side, jamming the ship 

 hard against the ice on 

 the starboard side of 

 her, and causing her to 

 heel 16° to starboard. 

 From the snapping and 

 cracking of the bunker 

 sides and starting in of 



■ I .1 -\ •->• Position of the Ship before the final Crush. 



the starboard ceiling, 



as well as the opening of the seams in the ceiling to the 

 width of one and one fourth inches, it was feared that 

 the ship was about to be seriously endangered, and 

 orders were accordingly given to lower the starboard 

 boats, and haul them away from the ship to a safe po- 

 sition on the icefloe. This was done quietly and with- 

 out confusion. The ice, in coming in on the port side, 

 also had a movement toward the stern, and this last 

 movement not only raised her port bow, but buried the 

 starboard quarter, and jamming it and the stern against 

 the heavy ice, effectually prevented the ship rising to 

 pressure. Mr. Melville, while below in the engine- 

 room, saw a break across the ship in the wake of the 

 boilers and engines, showing that so solidly were the 



