DRlVEN^ FROM SHELTER. 81 



size to reach the vessel. Three small bergs have, 

 however, grounded in a cluster right astern of us, 

 and if we drag our anchors we .shall bring up against 

 them. A perfect avalanche of wind tumbles upon us 

 from the cliffs ; and instead of coming in squalls, as 

 heretofore, it is now almost constant. The tempera- 

 ture is 27°. 



I made a trial to-day with the dredge, but nothing 

 was brought up from the bottom except a couple of 

 echinoderms [Asterias Groenlandica and A. Albula). The 

 sea is alive with little shrimps, among which the Cran- 

 gon Boreas is most abundant. The full-grown ones are 

 an inch long, and their tinted backs give a purplish 

 hue to the water. 



August 31st, 8 o'clock, P. M. 



Night closes upon a day of disaster, — a day, I 

 fear, of evil omen. My poor little schooner is terri- 

 bly cut up. 



Soon after making my last entry yesterday I lay 

 down for a Httle rest, but was soon aroused with the 

 unwelcome announcement that we were dragging our 

 anchors. McCormick managed to save the bower, 

 but the kedge was lost. It caught a rock at a criti- 

 cal moment, and, the hawser parting, we were driven 

 upon the bergs, which, as before stated, had grounded 

 astern of us. The collision was a perfect crash.. The 

 stern boat flew into splinters, the bulwarks over the 

 starboard-quarter were stove in, and, the schooner's 

 head swinging round with great violence, the jib- 

 boom was carried away, and the bowsprit and foretop- 

 mast were both sprung. In this crippled condition 

 we at length escaped most miraculously, and under 

 bare poles scudded before the wind. A vast number 

 of icebergs and the " pack " coming in view, we were 



6 



