FIELD ICE. 373
aurora borealis went streaming up the concave. The phosphorescence in our watery path was unusually brilliant, while over our heads flashed and dazzled this vast arch of scintillating flame. AVe seemed to be at the same time in a realm of fire and in a realm of frost ; our poor, fleshly natures surrounded by contradictions, the very elements themselves bewildered and at con flict. And there they were, dashing and drifting around us, those terrible kings of the Arctic, in their moun tain-majesty, while, like the tribes in the desert, our mysterious path was between the pillar of cloud, and the pillar of flame.
At nine, from the sentinels stationed at different points of observation, a cry was made of " ice ahead ! ice starboard ! ice leeward ! " and we found ourselves suddenly imbedded in field ice. To turn was impossible; so a path was laboriously cut with the paddles, through which our steamer was propelled, stern foremost, not without peril, changing her course due south, in the teeth of a driving blast.
When we were once more in an open sea, the cap tain, not concealing from the passengers their danger, advised them to retire. This we did a little before mid night, if not to sleep, at least to seek that rest which might aid in preparing us for future trials. At three we were aroused by harsh grating, and occasional con cussions, which caused the strong timbers of the ship to tremble. This was from floating masses of ice, by which, after having skirted an expanse of field ice fifty miles in extent, we were surrounded. It varied from two to
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