FROM EDINBURGH TO THE ANTARCTIC 
two or three boat-lengths, so we pulled under a green 
ice grotto, prettily fringed with icicles, and smoked 
our pipes peacefully. It was a ridiculous chase. Later 
the ship came up, and with great difficulty drove her way 
through the jam to us, and we and two other boats 
got in tow under the stern of the Mjolnar, and went 
hunting the snark through the pack at five knots. My 
word ! the Mjolnar was Thor's hammer with a vengeance 
that night ; we had a memorable time astern, with the 
ice swirling against us and the boats colliding with each 
other as we raced along. We only got five seals after all. 
At 1 1 o'clock the Balsena was hopelessly jammed in 
the pack, driving goodness knows where in thick fog, 
with bergs all round. Sometimes the pressure on her 
timbers seemed more than they could bear, as if the ice 
was pressing so that another pound of pressure would 
burst the ship into splinters. Then as it eased off a 
little, George on the bridge would bang the bell, and 
the other George and his mate below turn on full speed 
ahead, and make a desperate effort to break loose, to 
gain perhaps twenty yards, just to get jammed again 
amongst the grey ice-rocks that grinned out of the dark- 
ness over the bulwarks at our helplessness. 
Sunday. — This morning the wind fell a little, and we 
breathed with less weight on our chests ; but to-night, as I 
write up my log, it is rising almost to a gale again. The 
night is dark ; but the ice gives a white glimmer which 
would help us to see where the bergs are, but for the fog 
and driving snow. 
x 
