THE NEW YEAR, iSgj 47 



unpleasant. The vessel had now a greater list to the 

 port side than ever. 



'' During the afternoon various preparations were made 

 to leave the ship if the worst should happen. All the 

 sledges were placed ready on deck, and the kayaks 

 were also made clear; 25 cases of dog-biscuits were 

 deposited on the ice on the starboard side, and 19 cases 

 of bread were brought up and placed forward ; also 4 

 drums, holding altogether 22 gallons of petroleum, were 

 put on deck. Ten smaller-sized tins had previously been 

 filled with 100 litres of snowflake oil, and various vessels 

 containing gasoline were also standing on deck. As we 

 were sitting at supper we again heard the same crunching 

 and crackling noise in the ice as usual, coming nearer 

 and nearer, and finally we heard a crash proceeding from 

 right underneath where we sat. I rushed up. There 

 was a pressure of ice in the lane a little way off, almost 

 on our starboard beam. I went down a^ain, and con- 

 tinued my meal. Peter, who had gone out on the ice, 

 soon after came down and said, laughing as usual, that 

 it was no wonder we heard some crackling, for the ice 

 had cracked not a sledge - length aw^ay from the dog- 

 biscuit cases, and the crack was extending abaft of the 

 Fram. I went out, and found the crack was a very con- 

 siderable one. The doo-biscuit cases were now shifted 



O 



a little more forward for greater safety. We also found 

 several minor cracks in the ice around the vessel. I then 

 went down and had a pipe and a pleasant chat with Sver- 



