The men measure out an area six feet by three feet, and take a
preliminary temperature of the surface-ice by inserting a thermometer
in a drilled hole. Then the ice begins to fly, and it is not long before
they are down one foot. Nevertheless it would surprise those acquainted
only with fresh water ice to find how tough, sticky and intractable is
sea-ice. It is always well to work on a definite plan, channelling in
various directions, and then removing the intervening lumps by a few
rough sweeps of the pick. At a depth of one foot, another temperature is
taken, and some large samples of the ice laid by for the examination of
their crystalline structure. This is repeated at two feet, and so on,
until the whole thickness is pierced to the sea-water beneath. At three
feet brine may begin to trickle into the hole, and this increases in
amount until the worker is in a puddle. The leakage takes place, if not
along cracks, through capillary channels, which are everywhere present
in sea-ice.

It is interesting to note the temperature gradually rise during the
descent. At the surface the ice is chilled to the air-temperature, say
-10 degrees F., and it rises in a steep gradient to approximately 28
degrees F.; close to the freezing-point of sea water. The sea-ice in
the boat-harbour varied in thickness during the winter between five and
seven feet.

In contrast with sea-ice, the ice of a glacier is a marvel of prismatic
colour and glassy brilliance. This is more noticeable near the surface
when the sun is shining. Deep down in a shaft, or in an ice-cavern, the
sapphire reflection gives to the human face quite a ghastly pallor.

During the high winds it was always easy to dispose of the fragments
of ice in the earlier stages of sinking a shaft. To be rid of them, all
that was necessary was to throw a shovelful vertically upwards towards
the lee-side of the hole, the wind then did the rest. Away the chips
would scatter, tinkling over the surface of the glacier. Of course, when
two men were at work, each took it in turns to go below, and the one
above, to keep warm, would impatiently pace up and down. Nevertheless,
so cold would he become at times that a heated colloquy would arise
between them on the subject of working overtime. When the shaft had
attained depth, both were kept busy. The man at the pit's mouth lowered
a bucket on a rope to receive the ice and, in hauling it up, handicapped
with clumsy mitts, he had to be careful