150 LOSS OF BRED ALB A NE TRANSPORT. 



ing to save the boats, but these were instantly crushed to 

 pieces. I went forward to hail the Phoenix, for men to 

 save the boats ; and whilst doing so the ropes by which 

 we were secured parted, and a heavy nip took the ship, 

 making her tremble all over, and every timber in her 

 creak. I looked in the main hold, and saw the beams 

 giving way ; I hailed those on the ice, and told them of 

 our critical situation. I then rushed to my cabin, and 

 called to those in their beds to save their lives. On 

 reaching the deck, those on the ice called out to me to 

 jump over the side - - that the ship was going over. 1 

 jumped on the loose ice, and, with difficulty, and the 

 assistance of those on the ice, succeeded in getting on 

 the unbroken part. After being on the ice about live 

 minutes, the timbers in the ship cracking up as matches 

 would in the hand, the nip eased for a short time, and I, 

 with some others, returned to the ship, with the view 

 of saving some of our effects. Captain Inglefield now 

 came running toward the ship. He ordered me to see 

 if the ice was through the ship ; and, on looking down 

 in the hold, I found all the beams, &c., falling about in 

 a mariner that would have been certain death to me 

 had I ventured down there. It was too evident that 

 the ship could not last many minutes. I then sounded 

 the well, and found five feet in the hold ; and whilst in 

 the act of sounding, a heavier nip than before pressed 

 out the starboard-bow, and the ice was forced right into 

 the forecastle. Every one then abandoned the ship, 

 with what few clothes he could save - - some with only 

 what they had on. The ship now began to sink fast, 

 and from the time her bowsprit touched the ice until 

 her mast-heads were out of sight it was not above one 

 minute and a half. From the time the first nip took hei 

 until her disappearance, it was not more than fifteen 

 minutes." 



