n deck when Mr. Gibbs stood ready to discharge the
bomb on top of the rod, and all eyes were fixed upon the iceberg.

There was an explosion--not very loud, even considering the
distance--and those who had glasses saw the rod disappear downward. Then
a strange grating groan came over the snow-white plain, and the great
iceberg was seen to split in half, its two peaks falling apart from each
other. The most distant of the two great sections toppled far backward,
and with a great crash turned entirely over, its upper part being
heavier than its base. It struck an iceberg behind it, slid upon the
level ice below, crashed through this, and sank out of sight. Then it
was seen to slowly rise again, but this time with its base uppermost.
The other and nearest section, much smaller, fell against an adjacent
iceberg, where it remained leaning for some minutes, but soon assumed an
erect position. The line of cleavage had not been perpendicular, and
the greater part of the base of the original iceberg remained upon the
nearer section.

When the scene of destruction had been thoroughly surveyed from the
deck of the Dipsey, volunteers were called for to go and investigate the
condition of affairs near the broken iceberg. Four men, including Mr.
Gibbs and Mr. Marcy, went out upon this errand, a dangerous one, for
they did not know how far the ice in their direction might have been
shattered or weakened by the wreck of the iceberg. They found that
little or no damage had been done to the ice between them and the nearer
portion of the berg, and, pursing an eastward course on their sledges,
they were enabled to look around this lofty mass and see a body of open
water in the vicinity of the more distant section almost covered with
floating ice. Pressing forward still farther eastward, and going as
far south as they dared, they were enabled at last to see that the
two portions of the original iceberg were floating at a considerable
distance from each other, and that, therefore, there was nothing to
prevent the existence of an open passage between them into the lake.

When the party returned with this report work was suspended, but the
next day blasting parties went out. The canal was extended to the base
of the nearer iceberg, a small boat was rowed around it, and after a
careful survey it was found that unless the sections of the iceberg
moved together there was plenty of room for the Dipsey to pass between
them.

When the small boat