DRIFTiNG TO THE SOUTH. 131 



we broke through the snow-roof of the front haU. 

 The tumult of the elements which met us there was 

 beyond anythmg we had already experienced. Scarcely 

 able to leave the spot, we stood huddled together for 

 protection from the bad weather. Suddenly we heard, 

 *' Water on the floe close by ! " The floe surrounding 

 us split up ; a heavy sea arose. Our field again began to 

 break on all sides. On the spot between our house and 

 the piled-up store of wood which was about twenty-five 

 paces distant, there suddenly opened a huge gap. AVashed 

 by the powerful waves, it seemed as if the piece just 

 broken off was about to fall upon us ; and at the same time 

 we felt the rising and falling of our now greatly reduced 

 floe. All seemed lost. From our split-up ice-field all the 

 firewood was drifting into the raging sea. And in like 

 manner we had nearly lost our boat Bismarck ; even 

 the whale-boat was obliged to be brought for safety into 

 the middle of the floe. The large boat, being too heavy 

 to handle, we were obliged to give up entirely. All this 

 in a temp, of — 9|^°, and a heavy storm, was an arduous 

 piece of work. The community were divided into two parts. 

 We bade each other good-bye with a farewell shake of the 

 hands, for the next moment we might go down. Deep 

 despondency had taken hold of our scientific friends ; the 

 crew were still and quiet. Thus we stood or cowered by our 

 boats the whole day, the fine pricking snow penetrating 

 through the clothes to the skin. It was a miracle that 

 just that part of the floe on which we stood should from 

 its soundness keep together. Our floe, now only 150 feet 

 in diameter, was the 3-5 to 40 feet nucleus of the formerly 

 extensive field to which we had entrusted our preserva- 

 tion. Towards evening the masses of ice became closely 



K 2 



