1875 THE POLAR PACK. 147 



' Some step should be taken to guard against the 

 shaft being jammed in the boss of the screw by ice. 

 Mr. Wootton suggests that a hole might be bored 

 through the centre of the shaft, through which a jet of 

 steam could be forced into the screw and the ice readily 

 melted. 



' 17th. — Barometer rising, temperature up to 30°. 

 Still blowing a fresh gale with squalls from the north- 

 west ; the pack ice close against Cape Sheridan. On 

 this side of that point and abreast of our position a 

 narrow water-channel opens during the ebb-tide ; but 

 with the Hood the pack closes in, moving very fast to 

 the south-east. Aldrich estimates its speed at two 

 miles an hour, but I think one mile is nearer its true 

 rate. The gale conbined with the rise in temperature 

 has completely destroyed the young ice formed on the 

 inshore side of the floebergs. 



c Last night, so heavy was the pressure of the pack, 

 I fully expected that our protecting floebergs would 

 give way, and that the ship would be forced on shore. 

 The outer line of our defence was driven in for about 

 one hundred yards, but fortunately the inner line with- 

 stood the attack. 



6 One heavy floe, a fair sample of those composing 

 the pack, which we fully expected would carry all be- 

 fore it, just as it was touching our barrier, fortunately 

 took the ground itself in twelve fathoms water. Three 

 large pieces were then wrenched off, and left behind 

 to add to our protection. The heaviest piece aground, 

 half way between our position and Cape Sheridan, 

 standing at least sixty feet high, has withstood the pres- 

 sure of the pack for the last ten days ; this morning 



L i 



