THE SHIPS RUN INTO THE PACK 39 



atmosphere bounded by a dark line of storm cloud 

 lowering over the masts as if to mark the confines 

 within which no effort would avail. 



" At this instant," says Beechey, " when we were 

 about to put the strength of our little vessel in com- 

 petition with that of the great icy continent, and when 

 it seemed almost presumption to reckon on the possi- 

 bility of her surviving the unequal conflict, it was 

 gratifying in the extreme to observe in all our crew the 

 greatest calmness and resolution. If ever the fortitude 

 of seamen was fairly tried it was assuredly not less so 

 than on this occasion ; and I will not conceal the pride 

 I felt in witnessing the bold and decisive tone in which 

 the orders were issued by the commander of our little 

 vessel, and the promptitude and steadiness with which 

 they were executed by the crew." 



The brig was steered bow on to the ice. Every man 

 instinctively gripped his hold, and with his eyes fixed 

 on the masts awaited the moment of concussion. In 

 an instant they all lost their footing, the masts bent 

 with the shock, and the timbers cracked below ; the 

 vessel staggered and seemed to recoil, when the next 

 wave, cur'ing up under her counter, drove her about her 

 own length within the edge of the ice, where she gave 

 a roll and was thrown broadside to the wind by the 

 succeeding wave which beat furiously against her stern, 

 bringing l;er lee in touch with the main mass and leav- 

 ing her weather side exposed to a floe about twice her 

 size. Battered on all sides, tossed from fragment to 

 fragment, nothing could be done but await the issue, 

 for the n.en could hardly keep their feet, the motion 

 being so reat that the ship's bell, which in the heaviest 



