BESET.—The situation of a ship when closely surrounded by ice.
BIGHT.—An indentation in a floe of ice, like a bay, by which name it is sometimes called.
BLINK.—A peculiar brightness in the atmosphere, often assuming an arch-like form, which is generally perceptible over ice or land covered with snow. The blink of land, as well as that over large quantities of ice, is usually of a yellowish cast.
BORE.—The operation of "boring" through loose ice consists in entering it under a press of sail, and forcing the ship through by separating the masses.
CALF.—A mass of ice lying under a floe near its margin, and, when disengaged from that position, rising with violence to the surface of the water. See TONGUE.
CLEAR WATER.—Any part of the sea unencumbered with ice.
CROW'S NEST.—A small circular house like a cask, fixed at the masthead, in which the look-out man sits, either to guide the ship through the ice or to give notice of whales.
DOCK.—In a floe may be natural or artificial; the former being simply a small "bight," in which a ship is placed to secure her from the danger of external pressure; and the latter, a square space cut out with saws for a similar purpose.
FIELD.—A sheet of ice generally of great thickness, and of too great extent to be seen over from a ship's masthead.
FLINCHING.—The operation of stripping a sea-animal of its skin and blubber.