IN DANGER. 47 



more serious purposes, and this reflection made the 

 days irksome to me. 



Four days of ahnost constant cahn would tax the 

 patience of even Job-like resignation. We had a 

 breath of wind now and then to tantalize us, treach- 

 erous currents to keep us ever anxious, icebergs al- 

 ways threatening us ; now at anchor, then moored to 

 a berg, and again keeping free from danger through a 

 hard struggle with the oars. We had many narrow 

 escaj)es, one of which, as illustrating a peculiar feature 

 of Arctic navigation, is perhaps worthy of more par- 

 ticular record. 



We had made a little progress during the night, 

 but soon after breakfast the wind died away, and the 

 schooner lay like a log upon the water. Giving too 

 little heed to the currents, we were eagerly watching 

 the indications of wind which appeared at the south, 

 ind hoping for a breeze, when it was discovered that 

 the tide had changed, and was stealthily setting us 

 upon a nest of bergs which lay to leeward. One 

 of them was of that description known among the 

 crew by the significant title of " Touch me not," and 

 presented that jagged, honey-combed appearance in- 

 dicative of great age. They are unpleasant neigh- 

 bors. The least disturbance of their equilibrium may 

 cause the whole mass to crumble to pieces, and woe 

 be unto the unlucky vessel that is caught in the dis- 

 solution. 



In such a trap it seemed, however, that we stood a 

 fair chance of being ensnared. The current was car- 

 rying us along at an uncomfortably rapid rate. A 

 boat was lowered as quickly as possible, to run out a 

 line to a berg which lay grounded about a hundred 

 yards from us. While this was being done, we grazed 



