288 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[cHAr. 
W.S.W. wind. Convinced that the vessel would soon be nipped, 
the men on board began to save the stock of prov isions and the 
boats, by placing them on the ice, but the pressure soon ceased. 
There fell a heavy rain, which afterwards, when the wind 
changed to north-west, passed into snow. On the 2 ?th ~ S ‘ 
coast of Yalmal was sighted. A fathom-thick ice-floe shot 
under the vessel and caused it to heel over to starboard. The 
following day there was a storm from the S.S.W. with snow. 
The ice forcing itself forward shook the vessel several times so 
violently that the crew rushed up to save the provisions, &c., on 
the ice. They were now in the neighbourhood of 70° N.L. and 
65° E.L. (Greenwich), almost right off the mouth of the Kara 
river. The crew worked the whole day with axes and iron bars 
hewing off the sharp projecting comers of the ice-blocks that 
were pressed against the vessel. On the there was warm 
weather with rain. The ice was in so violent motion that it 
was impossible to walk upon it. On the afternoon of the same 
day the Yermak sustained several violent concussions, and the 
hull was lifted one foot. On the September, a violent storm 
broke out, which drove the vessel to the north-east. It was ex¬ 
pected every moment that the vessel would be nipped, and a 
tent was accordingly pitched on the ice, in order that part of the 
provisions from the hold might be placed in it. Wood even was 
carried to it. It was Russia’s thousand-years’ day, and it was 
celebrated with a festive ball and merry songs, although they 
every instant expected their vessel to be crushed by the masses 
of ice that were pressed together by the fearful storm. On the 
September, the stem of the vessel was forced five feet above 
the water-line, and the whole night a continual cracking of 
timbers was heard in the hull. I’he water rose rapidly to a 
depth of two feet. Every man left the vessel and removed 
to the ice, but soon after the immense ice-field on which the 
tent was pitched went in pieces, while the leak in the vessel 
closed, and the crew in consequence went on board again. On 
