BLOCKING UP OF THE IIANSA. 109 



were again made fast; after wliich we went to the pumps, 

 and found that there were seventeen inches of water in 

 the hold. We set them working at once, and about seven 

 o'clock had the pleasure of finding them run more slowly. 

 We now allowed ourselves time for our evening meal, for 

 we might entertain the hope that, in spite of the frightful 

 pressure she liad sustained, our ship was not very leaky. 

 But in a quarter of an hour's time, we found to our 

 terror, that there was again two feet of water in the 

 pumps. Even admitting that part of this water had 

 penetrated slowly from the after part, the ship must be 

 dreadfully leaky. Again we set to work at the pumps, 

 determined to do all in our power to rid our vessel of the 

 water. A half-hour's work, however, showed that all 

 exertions were vain ; the depth of the water in the cabin 

 was increasing steadily, tliough slowly. The most careful 

 investigation of the ship, however, did not reveal tlio 

 position of the leak. In vain did both captain and steers- 

 man listen for the sound of water dripping. Evidently 

 this was taking place at some part of the ship's bottom, 

 under the coal. Besides the leak in the stern-post, the keel 

 must have sustained a fracture ; perhaps even the ship's 

 sides near the floor-heads had been forced in. Enough ! 

 the fate of the Hansa was sealed ; our good ship must 

 go to the bottom ! Calmly, though much moved, we 

 faced this liard fact. The house of coal on the southward 

 drifting ice-fields was destined now to be, through the 

 long Arctic winter, our only place of refuge — perhaps 

 too, our grave ! There was not a minute's time to be 

 lost. The work went steadily forward. By nine p.m. the 

 fall of snow Lad ceased; a clear, starry heaven shone 

 down upon us, and the moon shed her light over the 



