68 THE GERMAN ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



listened to with unmistakable pleasure. The object of 

 our longing is then at last reached, and if the ice should 

 prove a blockade to us, we could at least remain com- 

 fortably in the Germania in its neighbourhood to inspect 

 it. 



Nearer and nearer comes the rushing noise. Every 

 man is on deck ; when, as with the touch of a magic 

 wand, the mist divides, and a few hundred yards before 

 us lies the ice, in long lines like a deep indented rocky 

 coast, with walls glittering blue in the sun, and the 

 foam of the waves mounting high, with the top 

 covered with blinding white snow. The eyes of all 

 I'ested with amazement on this grand panorama : it was 

 a glorious but a serious moment, stirred as we were by 

 new thoughts and feelings, by hopes and doubts, by bold 

 and far-reaching expectations. 



The mist closed again almost immediately; but this 

 short moment and a glimpse from the crow's-nest sufficed 

 to show us the absolute thickness of the masses of ice. 

 Here, even had it been our intention, we could never 

 have broken through, and if any of us had formed 

 a mistaken idea of ice-navigation, this must prove to 

 the most inexperienced that such an obstacle could 

 neither be overcome by the most powerful ironclad 

 ship, nor by gunpowder. Our duty bade us first seek 

 the Hansa in 75° N.L. ; but, besides the fact that an 

 easterly wind had been blowing for some days, making it 

 anything but a favourable moment for forcing the icy 

 range, it became necessary to wait another opportunity 

 for making an energetic attempt. 



The spot where the Germania struck the ice was in 

 74" 47' N. Lat., and 11° 50' W. Long., and the edge 



