A Winter Amid the Ice

e had opened a practicable channel for the ship to the bay. The sailo

m the shore, securely anchored on a good bottom. The ice began the next day to form around her hull; i

lly furled on the yards and covered with their casings, and the "crow's-nest" remained in pl

ne solstice, the spirals which it had described descended

erous; but Penellan waited until, by reason of the going and coming of the floating ice-masses and their adherence, it had reached a thickness of twenty feet; he then had it cut around

froze as hard as a rock. This envelope did not allow the interior heat to escape outside. A canvas tent, covered with s

ns were taken down, so as to form a single vast apartment forward, as well as aft. This single room, besides, was more easy to warm, as the ice

houghts of her poor Louis, did not perceive this, Jean Cornbutte did not fail soon to remark it. He spoke of it to Penellan; he recalled several incidents which completely enlightened him regarding his mate's intentions; André Vasling loved Marie, and reckoned on aski

ontradicted him, and enabled Penellan to exult over him. The mate, therefore, cordially detested the helmsman, who returned his dislike heartily. Pen

heir berths, and carefully clean the interior walls, to get rid of the night's dampness. They received boiling tea or coffee, which are excellent cordials to

cold; for in a temperature thirty degrees below zero, some part of the body might suddenly beco

ourage to plunge the hands and face in the snow, which had to be melted within.

needful that the hearts of his comrades should not give way to despai

ads, they might have enjoyed the moonlight, which was about to become really their sun during the long polar night; but, with the west winds, the snow did not cease to fall. Every morning it was necessary to clear off the sides

new crust which formed over its top was broken, and the water which was d

ship was imprisoned for six or seven months, and only the next thaw could open a new route across the i