g the
same distance in three hours and a half, namely, from 7 P.M. to 10 30
P.M., by which time the ice had closed ahead, and we had to make fast.

_August 6th and 7th._--Very little progress: and a squadron of
blank faces showed that there were many taking a deep and anxious
interest in the state of affairs. The remark that Sir James Ross's
expedition was by this time, in 1848, in a better position than
ourselves, and only found time to secure winter quarters at Leopold
Island, was constantly heard: there was, in fact, but one hope
left,--we had steam, and there was yet thirty days of open navigation.

[Headnote: _CHARGING THE ICE._]

Friday the 9th of August at last arrived. Captain Penny's squadron was
gone out of sight in a lane of water towards Cape York. The schooner
and ketch were passing us: caution yielded to the grim necessity of a
push for our very honour's sake: the ship was dropped out of the nip,
the "Pioneer" again allowed to put her wedge-bow, aided by steam, to
the crack. In one hour we were past a barrier which had checked our
advance for three long weary days. All was joy and excitement: the
steamers themselves seemed to feel and know their work, and exceeded
even our sanguine expectations; and, to every one's delight, we were
this evening allowed to carry on a system of ice-breaking which will
doubtless, in future Arctic voyages, be carried out with great success.
For instance, a piece of a floe, two or three hundred yards broad, and
three feet thick, prevented our progress: the weakest and narrowest
part being ascertained, the ships were secured as close as possible
without obstructing the steam vessels, the major part of the crews
being despatched to the line where the cut was to be made, with tools
and gunpowder for blasting, and plenty of short hand-lines and claws.

The "Pioneer" and "Intrepid," then, in turn rushed at the floe,
breaking their way through it until the impetus gained in the open
water was lost by the resistance of the ice. The word "Stop her! Back
turn, easy!" was then given, and the screw went astern, carrying with
her tons of ice, by means of numerous lines which the blue-jackets, who
attended on the forecastle, and others on broken pieces of the floe,
held on by. As the one vessel went astern, the other flew ahead to her
work. The operation was, moreover, aided by the explosions of powder;
and altogether the scene was a highly interesting and instructive one:
it was a fr