766 



THE POLAR WORLD. 



children, for 195 days, drifted upon a cake of ice all through an Arctic winter. One 

 of the party, John Heron, the steward, thirty-one years of age, born in Liverpool, 

 but a citizen of the United States, kept from day to day a minute journal of all that 

 occurred. From this, greatly abridged, our narrative will be drawn, noting only the 

 salient points, but preserving the words of the writer : 



" October 15tk. — Gale from the S. W. ; ship made fast to floe ; bergs pressed in 

 and nipped the ship until we thought she was going down ; threw provisions over- 

 board, and nineteen souls got on the floe to receive them and haul them up on the 

 ice. A large berg came sailing down, struck the floe, shivered it to pieces, and freed 

 the ship. She was out of sight in five minutes. We were afloat on different pieces 

 cf ice. We had two boats. Our men were picked up, myself among them, and 

 landed on the main floe, which we found to be cracked in many places. We remained 

 shivering all night. Saved very little provisions. IQth. — Morning fine ; light breeze 

 from the N. The berg that did us so much damage half a mile to the N. E. of us. 

 Plenty of open water. We lost no time in launching the boats, getting the provisions 

 in and pulling around the berg, when we saw the Polaris. She had steam up, and 

 succeeded in getting a harbor. In the evening we started with the boats for shore. 

 Had we reached it we could have walked on board in one hour, but the ice set in so 

 fast that we could not pull through it. We had a narrow escape in jumping from 

 piece to piece until we reached the floe. We dragged the boat two or three hundred 

 yards, and made for our provisions, which were on a distant part of the floe. We 

 can not see our other boat ; the snow drift has covered our late tracks. 23c?. — With 

 the aid of a marine glass we discovered a boat, and at some distance therefrom a tent. 

 The ice for a few miles is very thin ; but we risked it, and returned to headquarters 

 weak but thankful to God, and rejoicing for our increase of stores. We have now 

 eleven bags of bread, thirteen cans of pemmican, eleven dozen cans of meats, soups, 

 etc., and fourteen hams. Slst. — Sent Joe and Hans with a dog team to see how the 

 ice will stand, as we intend starting to-morrow for shore. If the ice hold good we 

 shall be there in two or three days. If we reach the shore we shall live better, as 

 we may kill some game." 



" November 2d. — Ice open and water all around us. "We started before daylight 

 with the dogs and sled, not knowing what had happened until we were nearly driven into 

 the water. The ice closed in a little. We tried again, and ventured across on the 

 other floe. Saved one rake, some of Joe's clothing, three guns, and a few other 

 things. When the men returned to the crack it was just opening; they had got 

 across just in time, as the ice opened, and the floe has not been seen since. 3c?. 

 — Building snow houses. No chance now of getting ashore ; must now give that up. 

 Qth. — Joe caught a seal, which is a Godsend. We are having a feast to-night ; three- 

 fourths of a pound of food to a man. Mr. Meyer made a pack of cards for us from 

 some thick paper, and we are now playing euchre. We are a good deal further from 

 land, and are drifting south pretty smart. IQth.- — Joe saw three seals yesterday and 

 a fox track, but got nothing. We have nothing to feed our dogs on. They got at 

 the provisions to-day. We have shot five, leaving four. Shot some two weeks since. 

 We are lining our new hut with canvas. 21st. — The natives caught two seals. 

 They shot three, but lost one of them in the young ice. We shot two dogs. They 

 got at our provisions. 28th. — Thanksgiving Day, We have had a feast : four pint 



