THE NEW YEAR, iSgs 55 



come. I jumped up. There was nothing left for it but 

 to call all hands, to put all the remaining provisions on 

 the ice, and then put all our furs and other equipment 

 on deck, so that they could be thrown overboard at a 

 moments notice if necessary. Thus the day passed, 

 but the ice kept quiet. Last of all, the petroleum launch, 

 which was hanging in the davits on the port side, was 

 lowered, and was dragged towards the great hummock. 

 At about 8 o'clock in the evening, when we thouo-ht 

 the ice-pressure had subsided, it started thundering and 

 crashing again worse than ever. I hurried up. Masses 

 of snow and ice rushed on us, \\\^\ above the rail amid- 

 ships and over the tent. Peter, who also came up, seized 

 a spade and rushed forward outside the awning as far 

 as the forepart of the half-deck, and stood in the midst 

 of the ice, digging away, and I followed to see how 

 matters stood. I saw more than I cared to see ; it was 

 hopeless to fight that enemy with a spade. I called 

 out to Peter to come back, and said, ' We had better see 

 to getting everything out on to the ice.' Hardly had I 

 spoken, when it pressed on again with renewed strength, 

 and thundered and crashed, and, as Peter said, and 

 laughed till he shook again, 'nearly sent both me and 

 the spade to the deuce.' I rushed back to the main- 

 deck ; on the way I met Mogstad, who hurried up, 

 spade in hand, and sent him back. Running forward 

 under the tent towards the ladder, I saw that the tent- 

 roof was bent down under the weight of the masses of 



