276 i NOTES ON THE BOTANY 
chain of huge icebergs; and in hauling up to clear them 
(each ship doing so on opposite tacks), we came into 
unavoidable and, as it proved to be, exceedingly fortunate con- 
tact, striking most violently ; our starboard bows met. This 
ship carried away jib-boom, cat-head, anchor, yard-arms, 
boom, and a boat. But the loss experienced by the “ Erebus” 
was much greater; her bowsprit close off to the bows, fore- 
top-mast, cat-head, anchor, and a number of small spars gone. 
Nothing but their extraordinary strength prevented both 
ships being cut down to the water’s edge; as it was, our 
consort smashed our strengthening pieces outside, while her 
bulwarks forward, were levelled with the deck. All the time 
we were foul, we continued helplessly drifting towards the 
icebergs, and thought ourselves inevitably lost ; but on the 
ships clearing, we saw one part of the bergs darker than the 
rest, and happily it was an opening. Immediately after clear- 
ing the other ship, we were rushing close past an immense 
iceberg, and passed between two of these huge masses, 
through an opening _not more than twice the breadth of our 
vessel, the foam caused by the sea against them, breaking 
over us on each side ! 
_ I have neither time nor inclination to dwell on the events - 
of that dreadful night, which it even now makes me shudder 
to think of; but, some day, if it please God, through 
whose merciful interposition we were saved, I will give you 
an account when sitting over the fireside. I suppose no 
naval annals in the world could record such a narrow escape; - 
however, we did escape, and what was more fortunate, with- 
out the loss, on this occasion, of a single life. The crippled 5 : : 
state of the vessels prevented Captain Ross from performing 
all he had originally intended; which was, after reaching 
lat. 60°., long. 1259. W. (a spot calculated by Colonel Sabine 
as that of maximum intensity, but which surmise has proved 
to be incorrect), to have again proceeded south, if possible, : 
as far as Cook's ne plus ultra, and then to this place. AS 
it was, we made the best of our way, and with the exception 
of losing one man overboard, off Cape Horn, arrived here 
