58 IRREGULARITIES OF THE CREW. \Jllty, 



from each ship the boats' crews rushed, as eager for spoil 

 as any of our Sooloo friends : it was diversion, excite- 

 ment, or that innate habit of mischief and fun implanted 

 in all seamen, for to them no value could attach to these 

 sjjolia opima. It furnished food for contemplation, of a 

 very mixed character. But a few hours since, such might 

 have been the fate of the ' Resolute,' and, in less time 

 than it takes me to commit this to paper, may be our 

 own ! 



Whilst thus engaged, the fog cleared off, and dis- 

 covered a vessel under sail to the westward. About 

 four P.M. the ' St. Andrew,' of Aberdeen, joined, and I 

 there found part of the crew of the ' Regalia,' who in- 

 formed me, that if we had hove in sight, we could have 

 saved a great part of her bread and provisions, which 

 would have been most valuable. She had been nipped 

 ten days before, the ice passing entirely through her, 

 meeting at the main hatchway, or, as they termed it, 

 " completely toggling her." The master having given up 

 charge, and released the crew from further obedience, 

 each boat-steerer, as customary, took his boat, and 

 having provisioned her, the crew then broke into the 

 spirits, and, regaling themselves in the cabin, at their 

 highest pitch of intoxication, ordered the skylight to be 

 closed to keep them warm, when the least motion of the 

 ice might have sent them in an instant to their last 

 reckoning ! This was succeeded by every wanton act 

 which madmen could commit. A fire was made upon 

 the rudder lying flat under her stern on the ice, and the 

 ship burned until that end of her sank, leaving her 

 floated merely by the ail 1 contained in the bow and 



