60 CONQUERING THE ARCTIC ICE 



least it was a consolation to think that they were also fast in 

 the ice. 



The prospect of a quick passage seemed small upon the whole, 

 as the ice was exceptionally heavy for that time of year. 



Saturday, August 4. A considerable change in the weather. 

 Instead of being calm and clear it was blowing hard from N.E., 

 and a heavy fog obscured everything beyond our immediate 

 neighbourhood. 



We tried to get under way, but had to go back to our old 

 anchorage, partly because it blew too hard and partly because 

 it was impossible to see what we were doing. These were 

 tiresome days, lying still, chafing with impatience to be 

 advancing toward the north, and with no prospects of a speedy 

 delivery. 



At ii P.M., almost an hour after we had turned in, I was 

 roused by some fearful howls from the ice and jumped on deck. 

 It was the watchman, who had been out for a walk on the 

 grounded ice, and while he was there a sea or some shock broke 

 it up, and the pieces commenced to float away. Luckily for 

 him, he happened to be on a piece of ice where a line from the 

 ship was made fast, or he would have drifted away. We had 

 the ship moored to three pieces of ice which now all were adrift, 

 each plucking and tearing at our poor ship and trying to break 

 loose. 



We got the man on board, ran a new line over to an icefloe 

 which was yet aground, and cut the others. Half an hour 

 later the excitement had died down and we turned in, in order 

 to fortify ourselves with a good sleep for the battle of the 

 morrow. 



Sunday, August 5. To-day we had hoped to be off Point 

 Barrow, or beyond, but no such luck ! We have almost two 

 hundred miles before us, with all sorts of ice, and current and wind 

 against us. It was still blowing hard, but it was fairly clear, so 

 that we could see several waterways to the north, and at 6 A.M. 

 we left our harbour of refuge. Head- wind and current are hard 

 odds to fight against, particularly when we have to go through 

 heavy ice, but we must round the Blossom Shoals and must 

 take our chance of being caught in the ice. So we launched into 

 it, banged about and almost shook the rigging out of the ship, 

 but :we made ground for each tack, and from the crow's-nest I 



