A FEARFUL NIGHT. 235 



take charge ; so I jibed very carefully, ran down to the 

 captain's wake and then jibed her again, each time having 

 lowered the sail, and having gotten out two oars to keep up 

 the headway before the sea while shifting the sail. 1 then 

 had seaman Leach put at the helm, as he was the best helms- 

 man in the boat. My eyes would not permit my taking the 

 helm or 1 would have done so. We then ranged along the 

 weather side of the first cutter, had our sail close reefed, and 

 to keep from running away from her had to take it in, there- 

 by allowing the seas to board us. 



About dusk the captain stood up in his boat and waved 

 his hands as if to separate. This is what the men say ; I 

 did not see it. At the same time Chipp was said to be lower- 

 ing his sail. Melville asked my advice, and I said we should 

 steer with the wind and sea four points to the north quarter ; 

 that we could make good weather of it until dark, when wo 

 .should heave to on account of the liability to meet young ice 

 in the darkness. In the meantime I advised that we should 

 prepare a good drag. He told me to go ahead and do it. 

 So I ordered Cole and Manson to take three hiekorv tent- 



at 



poles, each about eight feet in length, lash them in a triangle, 

 and lace a strong piece of cotton canvas across it, then take 

 the boat's painter, And make a span similar to the bellyband 

 of a kite, and to the middle of this span make fast the lull' 

 tackle fall. On the lower end of each tent-pole there was a 

 brass nib which, with the weight of the wet canvas and the 

 bight of the rope, would, I said, probably make the drag heavy 

 enough ; if not we would send down the spare fire-pot and 

 boat bucket to help it. 



The gale was now at its full force, and the seas were run- 

 ning high and spiteful. - Leach was steering admirably, but 

 we had to keep four balers going all the time to prevent the 

 boat from filling and sinking. The drag, having been com- 

 pleted, was placed forward of the mast in readiness for use. 

 I had the drag rope coiled down clear for running. The 

 men were very weary. There were only two seamen in the 

 boat who would pull in a seaway, the others being inexperi- 



