Forward the sturdy Norsemen were standing armed with hitchers and poles, which they held ready to try and ease off the floating masses of ice, to keep them from driving hard on to the ship’s bows, with the result that generally the Hvalross was spared a heavy concussion, and the blocks went scraping along the sides. Every now and then there was a loud crushing up of the smaller pieces between the larger, some being shivered to atoms, while others were forced upward one above another, explaining the noises heard in the cabin; and soon after Steve had another startling experience in the splitting across of a great field of ice, which, consequent upon the undulating motion given by the sea, snapped with a noise like thunder; and this was followed by crashing and splitting of a nature that gave appalling evidence of the power of nature under circumstances like these.
“Well, Mr Steve,” said the mate, as the lad mounted to the bridge beside him. “Mind; it’s very slippery here.”
“I’ve found that out,” said the boy merrily; for he had hurt his shin in climbing the icy steps of the ladder.
“Yes, it is awkward. Well, what do you think of this?”
“Wonderful! Grand!” cried the boy. “Never saw anything so beautiful before.”
“Oh yes, very beautiful,” said the mate grimly; and Steve saw how haggard and weary he looked. “But I could do with a little less beauty and more open water, my lad.”
“Yes; it is awkward to steer amongst all this.”
“Very,” said the mate drily, as there was a sharp concussion against a great floating piece of ice, which the strong prow of the Hvalross, cased with iron to meet such contingencies, cut in two as if it had been snow.
“You like it, then?” said the mate.
“Like it! Why, it’s grander than anything I can imagine.”