Feb. 1858. CONSTANT ACTION OF THE ICE. 87 



companions, but could not quite reach, it as 

 weak ice intervened, each step producing an 

 undulation. Finding the point of my knife 

 went through it with but very slight resist- 

 ance, I gave up the attempt and turned back. 

 The ship's masts were scarcely visible in the 

 distance ; almost the whole of the intervening 

 ice was of this winter's gro^vth, and in many 

 places much crushed up. 



Daylight reveals to us evidences of vast ice 

 movements having taken place during the dark 

 months when we fancied all was still and quiet ; 

 and we now see how greatly we have been 

 favoured, what ijinumerable chances of destruc- 

 tion we have unconsciously escaped ! A few 

 days ago the ice suddenly cracked within ten 

 yards of the ship, and gave her such a smart 

 shock that every one rushed on deck with aston- 

 ishing alacrity. One of these sudden disrup- 

 tions occurred between me and the ship when 

 I was returning from the iceberg ; the sun was 

 just setting as I found myself cut off. Had I 

 been upon the other side I would have loitered 

 to enjoy a refreshing gaze upon this dark streak 

 of water ; but after a smart run of about a mile 

 along its edge, and finding no place to cross, 

 visions of a patrol on the floe for the long night 

 of fifteen hours began to obtrude themselves ! 



