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1860 Monday Nov 26th continuing on from the vessel's larboard bow, westerly, to Whale island. The crevice increased! Slowly, but with a power inconceivable, the mass of ice, up to the point indicated, receeded, leaving the "George Henry" [[underlined]] full [[/underlined]] from Stern to Stern, on the Starboard side the opposite flanked by ice that as yet, is interlocked with the rugged, rocky shores extending North, around to the East to the South & W.S.W. What a Providential Escape! Why was it the "George Henry" was allowed to be the very safty limit of the dividing line between destruction & preservation? All is not yet told of God's Merciful dealings with us. As this crisis was passing, the wind ceased all at once from the East & commenced blowing from the S. West thus ensuring the safty of the ice on our larboard side by which we are moored. [[image: drawing of bay and ice annotated Ice drifting away, Ice that remained, and compass directions]] [[end page]] [[start page]] 1860 Monday Nov 26 The Thermometer higher last night than before since 18th of October. Its highest last night 32 1/4. The natives have still an ice passage to the G.H. - Several of the Esquimaux came off before light this Morning to visit us - one of them Lady "Bran New", when near the vessel fell through the ice having failed to take the precaution of using an ice cane as she walked along. At last she was drawn out completely saturated with water whose temperature was 26°. She managed to walk thence to the vessel's side where she was drawn up blubber fashion, on to the deck. She was invited to the hospitable fires blazing away in the Galley where Miss "Bran New" at once cast off her frozen furs putting on Eve's original costume! My dogs were saved last night by the precaution of Capt. B. On the day we killed the Polar Bear they left the island, crossed the ice to the ship, & begged as hard as ever dogs did to come aboard. But this was not a priviledge we could grant them just then, so they, as usual made their bed on the snow or ice beneath them. Every now & then last Eve we looked out & saw the dogs in a pile fast asleep on the! ice near us. It was suggested that perhaps they had better be taken aboard, but then finally concluded if the dogs went adrift with the ice on which they were they might as well be there as here aboard - We would all have to go to destruction together. About 5 Capt. B. called to me from deck saying he thought it best that we take the dogs on deck. I went to the bow of the vessel, gave one shrill whistle which the sweeping wind quickly dropped in the ears of the sleeping dogs. In an instant they were up & headed for the G.H. Two or three of us jumped down upon the ice & tossed them aboard. A few hours decided that had
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