DENSE FOGS. 567 



the pack, from time to time passing large fields between 

 ■which lay broad channels of open water. 



At three a.m. we came to a chain of floes with a more 

 watery appearance than the large fields we had passed 

 diu-ing the night, which was therefore a pleasing sign 

 that we were nearing the sea. After passing round these 

 floes in a south-westerly direction, we came into open 

 water for a short time longer. There was still a dense 

 fog, and at four o'clock we struck upon a large field, and 

 a row of thick-lying floes. After some attempts to break 

 through these masses, we found ourselves entangled in 

 a labyrinth of ice showing not the smallest opening to 

 westward. Nothing but the manoeuvring capabilities of 

 the ship by means of the screw prevented us fi:'om being 

 completely blocked in. But how in this thick fog could 

 we retain this freedom of motion ? One of those happy 

 circumstances that can never be counted upon came to 

 our assistance. At six o'clock the fog suddenly lifted, 

 and at some miles to westward we could see an opening. 

 We now steered along the edge of the ice-field, at the end 

 of which to rather a broad extent lay closely packed floes, 

 and beyond these to our great joy was again open water. 

 We had no alternative but to force our way through : 

 and with the whole of its steam power the Germania was 

 run into the ice. The ship quivered and gi'oaned, but 

 the ice slowly gave way, and we glided into open water. 

 The violent shock, however, had been too much for our 

 invaUd boiler : the pipes again began to leak, and put out 

 the fire. We had just time to anchor, in a complete 

 calm, when thick fog set in once more. Our position 

 was 73° 17' N. Lat. and 15° 41' W. Long. 



On the morning of the 21st of August, we made one 



