IV£ PREPARE FOR THE SLEDGE EXPEDITION 39 



tinguish any other sound. At half- past ten another 

 shock followed; later on, from time to time, vibrations 

 were felt in the vessel, and towards half-past eleven the 

 shocks became stronger. It was clear that the ice was 

 packing at some place or other about us, and I was just 

 on the point of going out when Mogstad came to 

 announce that there was a very ugly pressure - ridge 

 ahead. We went out with lanterns. Fifty -six paces 

 from the bow there extended a perpendicular ridge 

 stretching along the course of the lane, and there was 

 a terrible pressure going on at the moment. It roared 

 and crunched and crackled all along; then it abated a 

 little and recurred at intervals, as thoucrh in a reoular 

 rhythm ; finally it passed over into a continuous roar. 

 It seemed to be mostly newly frozen ice from the chan- 

 nels which had formed this ridge ; but there were also 

 some ponderous blocks of ice to be seen among it. It 

 pressed slowly but surely forward towards the vessel ; the 

 ice had given way before it to a considerable distance 

 and was still being borne down little by little. The floe 

 around us has cracked, so that the block of ice in which 

 the vessel is embedded is smaller than it was. I should 

 not like to have that pressure-ridge come in right under 

 the nose of the Fraiu, as it might soon do some damage. 

 Although there is hardly any prospect of its getting so 

 far, nevertheless I have given orders to the watch to 

 keep a sharp lookout; and if it comes very near, or if 

 the ice should crack under us, he is to call me. Prob- 



