As I hastened on deck, the two great ice mountains between which we lay were lifted by the waves, and a moment later parted, and a shower of ice fragments from the sundered roof fell upon the upper deck with an awful crash; but thanks to the wise precautions that had been taken, no one was hurt, and the injuries to the vessel were but slight. The ice-field had parted along the line that had been predicted by Captain Battell, and the Ice King was at once subjected to the full force of the winds and waves which urged us forward with an irresistible force. But under the influence of the same power the ice continued to part before us, and all we had to do was to keep in the channel that was forming. While the waves behind us were driving the ship to seeming destruction, they were at the same time rending the ice-field asunder in the direction we were moving, creating a narrow, but constantly widening channel between the walls of ice on either side. Captain Battell, as usual in cases of emergency, was in command. Captain Ganoe was at the wheel, while I took my place at his side to take notes and render assistance as occasion might require. Captain Battell was right when he said we might be compelled to run for our lives. The gale continued to increase in its fury, and as we followed the channel that was forming before us, the wind was closing up the channel behind, by huge masses of ice in wild commotion. A halt would have invited destruction, and if we missed the channel that was being opened before us, we might be dashed to pieces against the ice. While the general direction of the channel being formed was toward the north, the ice did not break along a straight line, but was often zigzag, and it took the closest kind of attention to keep the ship from dashing against one side or the other and being disabled. The ice pack that was always forming behind us, urged forward by the wind and probably a strong ocean current made retreat impossible, even if we had so desired. There was but one thing that could be done, which was to move forward regardless of the continual danger of a collision that might prove fatal. This strain was kept up for several hours, when to our great delight we could discern what seemed to be a small island toward the northeast and an open sea beyond. A minute later; what appeared to be a mighty watch tower, at least two hundred feet in height, loomed up before our astonished vision just a little off from our starboard quarter. It stood at the edge of the water and the waves were dashing against its base.