58 FAJrrilJiST NORTH 



" The saloon and tlie Ijcrtlis were soon cleared of bags, 

 and the deck as well, and we started taking them along 

 the ice. The ice roared and crashed against the ship's 

 side, so that we could Iiardly hear ourselves speak; but 

 all went cjuickly and well, and before long everything was 

 in safety. 



"While we were dragging the bags along, the press- 

 ure and jamming of the ice had at last stopped, and 

 all was quiet again as before. 



" Hut what a sight ! 'J'he Fravi s ])ort side was quite 

 buried under the snow; all that could be seen was the 

 top of the tent projecting. Had the petroleum launch 

 been hanging in the davits, as it was a few hours pre- 

 viously, it would hardly have escaped destruction. The 

 davits were quite buried in ice and snow. It is curi- 

 ous that both fire and water have been powerless against 

 that boat; and it has now come out unscathed from the 

 ice, and lies there bottom upward on the fioe. She has 

 had a stormy existence and continual mishaps ; I wonder 

 what is next in store for her? 



" It was, I must admit, a most exciting scene when it 

 was at its worst, and we thought it was imperative to get 

 the bags up from the saloon with all possible si)eed. 

 vSverdrup now tells me that he w^as just about to have 

 a bath, and was as naked as wlien he was born, when he 

 heard me call all hands on deck. As this had not hap- 

 l)ened before, he understood there was something seri- 

 ous the matter, and he jumped into his clothes an)'how. 



