Here it was that the expedient of Captain Poke made manifest its merits.

Protected by the massive timbers and false ribs, the bilge of the ship resisted the pressure; and as, under such circumstances, something must yield, luckily nothing but the attraction of gravitation was overcome.

The skids, through their inclination, acted as wedges, the links pressing against the keel; and in the course of an hour the Walrus was gradually lifted out of the water, maintaining her upright position, in consequence of the powerful nip of the floes.

No sooner was this experiment handsomely effected, than Mr.Poke jumped upon the ice, and commenced an examination of the ship's bottom.
"Here's a dry-dock for you, Sir John!" exclaimed the old sealer, chuckling.

"I'll have a patent for this, the moment I put foot ag'in in Stunin'tun." A feeling of security, to which I had been a stranger ever since we entered the ice, was created by the composure of Noah, and by his self-congratulation at what he called his project to get a look at the Walrus's bottom.