v THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 707 



WONDJ5EFUL ADVENTURES ON ICE FLOES. 



DANGERS arising from the breaking up of the ice, which gathers 

 at the hore for miles seaward, are somtimes very great. In 

 traveling in the Arctic regions it is necessary to pass over im- 

 mense tracts of ice, and thus the danger of being carried adrift 

 on detached fields, called floes, is ever present. Kane had sev- 

 eral narrow escapes from such accident , one of which he records 

 as having taken place at a north-east headland named Cape Wil- 

 liam Ford. While far from the mainland the spring tides began 

 breaking up great areas of ice around him, which compelled him 

 1o flee toward the shore to avoid being carried out to sea and 

 possible starvation. As he sped over the ice, his sledge was inter- 

 rupted frequently by fissures, now breaking in every direction, 

 over which it required the boldest effort to pass, and especially 

 \o draw the laden sledge which contained their stores. Had the 

 sledge been abandoned it would have been lost forever, and in 

 case escape to shore were cut off, starvation was certain ; hence 

 they necessarily drew the sledge with them, though it diminished 

 their chances of reaching land. The forced journey was full of 

 perils and hardships, during which the men frequently fell into 

 the water, and had to be rescued at the imminent risk of life 

 the thermometer was 30 below zero, and their clothes of seal 

 and bear skin froze so hard as to almost prevent the exercise of 

 their limbs. However, by extra good fortune, they gained the 

 shore, but were so benumbed by the cold that it was impossible 

 to raise a tent. It chanced that there was no wind, and a fire of 

 seal oil was started, by which they dried their clothes and sleep- 

 in--bafs, which restored them to a measure of comfort and 



O D ' 



enabled them to reach the brig. 



But the most remarkable adventure that ever befell anyone 

 cast adrift on an ice-floe, happened to Capt. Geo. E. Tyson and 

 l!ie following eighteen members of the Polaris expedition : 

 Frederick Meyers, meteorologist ; John Herron, steward ; Wil- 

 liam Jackson, cook. Seamen: J. W. C. Kruger (called Robert), 

 Fred. Jamka, William Lindermami, Fred. Anthing, Gus. Lind- 

 quist, Peter Johnson. Esquimaux: Joe, Hannah (Joe's wife j, 



