Pole, wire, and dynamite were thrust down through cracks in the ice at several places in the adjacent floes.

The other end of each wire was then connected with the battery, every one retreated to a respectful distance on the far side of the deck, and a quick, sharp push on the plunger of the battery sent the electric current along the wires.
_Rip! Bang! Boom!_ The ship quivered like a smitten violin string, and a column of water and pieces of ice went flying a hundred feet into the air, geyser fashion.
The pressure of the ice against the ship being thus removed, she righted herself and lay quietly on her cushion of crushed ice--waiting for whatever might happen next.

As the tide lowered, the _Roosevelt_ was bodily aground from amidships forward, heeling first to one side and then to the other with the varying pressure of the ice.

It was a new variation of "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep"-- one that sent Eskimo babies, the dogs, the boxes, and even ourselves, tumbling about the decks.
When the tide rose, efforts were made to dislodge the ship from her stranded position.

From the port side of the bow a line was made fast to a stationary floe-berg, and the captain called for full steam, first ahead, then astern.