62 FARTHEST NORTH 



length. Another point of importance was to make the 

 sides as smooth as possible, without projecting edges, 

 while plane surfaces were as much as possible avoided in 

 the neighborhood of the most vulnerable points, and the 

 hull assumed a plump and rounded form. Bow, stern, 

 and keel — all were rounded off so that the ice should not 

 be able to get a grip of her anywhere. For this reason, 

 too, the keel was sunk in the planking, so that barely 

 three inches protruded, and its edges were rounded. 

 The object was that " the whole craft should be able to 

 slip like an eel out of the embraces of the ice." 



The hull was made pointed fore and aft, and some- 

 what resembles a pilot-boat, minus the keel and the sharp 

 garboard strakes. Both ends were made specially strong. 

 The stem consists of three stout oak beams, one inside 

 the other, forming an aggregate thickness of 4 feet 

 (1.25 m.) of solid oak; inside the stem are fitted solid 

 breasthooks of oak and iron to bind the ship's sides 

 together, and from these breasthooks stays are placed 

 against the pawl-bit. The bow is protected by an iron 

 stem, and across it are fitted transverse bars which run 

 some small distance backwards on either side, as is usual 

 in sealers. 



The stern is of a special and somewhat particular 

 construction. On eitli^er side of the rudder and propeller 

 posts — which are sided 24 inches (65 cm.) — is fitted a 

 stout oak counter-timber following the curvature of the 

 stern right up to the upper deck, and forming, so to 



