266 THE SEA. 



Again on the 14th a frightful storm raged, and the ice was once more in motion. The 

 floe broke in the immediate vicinity of the house, and the boats had to be dragged near it. 

 " All our labour," says the narrative, " was rendered heavier by the storm, which made it 

 almost impossible to breathe. About eleven we experienced a sudden fissure which threatened 

 to tear our house asunder ; with a thundering noise an event took place, the consequences of 

 which, in the first moments, deranged all calculations. God only knows how it happened that, 

 in our flight into the open, none came to harm. But there, in the most fearful weather, we all 

 stood roofless on the ice, waiting for daylight, which was still ten hours off. The boat King 

 William lay on the edge of the floe, and might have floated away at any moment. 

 Fortunately, the fissure did not get larger. As it was somewhat quieter at midnight, most 

 of the men crept into the captain's boat, when the thickest sail we had was drawn over them. 

 Some took refuge in the house ; but there, as the door had fallen in, they entered by the 

 skylight, and in the hurry broke the panes of glass, so that it was soon full of snow. This 

 night was the most dreadful one of our adventurous voyage on the floe. The cold was 

 9^ Fahr. (41 \ below freezing) . Real sleep, at least in the boat, was not to be thought 

 of; it was but a confused, unquiet, half -slumber, which overpowered us from utter weariness, 

 and our limbs quivered convulsively as we lay packed like herrings in our furs. The cook had, 

 in spite of all, found energy enough in the morning to make the coffee in the house, and never 

 had the delicious drink awakened more exhausted creatures to life. The bad weather raged the 

 whole day. We lay in the boat, half in water, half in snow, shivering with the frost, and wet 

 to the skin." Next night was passed in the same comfortless position, but on the morning of 

 the 16th the second officer caught sight of a star, and never was there a more welcome omen. 

 For five nights they slept in the boats, but by the 19th they had partially rebuilt their house, 

 although from this time forth they had to take it in turns to sleep in the boats, their new 

 erection being only one-half the size of the older one. Throughout all the discomfort, want, 

 hardships, danger of all kinds, the frame of mind among the men was good, undaunted, 

 and exalted. The cook kept a right seamanlike humour, even in the most critical moments. 

 As long as he had tobacco nothing troubled him. 



And so it went on from day to day : fresh dangers were followed by fresh deliverances, 

 and in spite of all the perils encountered, no lives were lost, nor were there any serious 

 cases of sickness. By May they had spent eight months on their ice-raft, and had drifted 

 1,100 miles. On the morning of the 7th they were agreeably surprised to see open water in 

 the direction of land. The captain, considering that the moment had arrived when they 

 should leave the floe and try to reach the coast, called a council. This project received 

 almost unanimous approbation, and in feverish haste and impatience the boats were hauled 

 empty over three floes, the stores and necessaries being carried after them, partly on 

 sledges and partly on the back. At four P.M. they set sail, the officers and crew being 

 divided into three companies. They made seven miles, and then hauled up on a small floe. 

 After finding a low spot, and first emptying the boats, they were lifted, by swinging 

 them in the water, till the third time, when a strong pull arid a pull all together brought 

 their bows on the ice, and they were soon bodily on its surface. Next day by noon they 

 were not more than four or five miles from the land, but the ice was densely packed in 

 irregular masses. Bad weather, with much snow, detained them six days on a floe; and 



