The starboard quarter boat was badly smashed against the corner of a big berg piece, and the starboard corner of the forward deck house was almost ripped from the decking.
But all hands were stimulated by the thought that we were now only a few miles from Cape Sheridan--so near our goal that we were restless to be off again.

That evening, with the ebb tide, the ice slackened, and the order was given to steam ahead.

After one or two narrow escapes between the rapidly running floes, we reached the delta of Black Cape River, a few miles beyond our former place.

But when the tide turned we were obliged to hurry back about a quarter of a mile to the shelter of a grounded berg.
When the hawsers were made fast I went ashore and up to the delta to look at the ice beyond.

Not a crack or hole was visible to the north, and the path by which we had retreated to our present position was now a sea of solid ice.