88 ON THE ESCAPE. Chap. VI. 



hurled against the ship by the swell as she rose to meet it, 

 were thus robbed of their destructive force ; they struck us 

 obliquely, yet caused the vessel to shake violently, the bells 

 to ring, and almost knocked us off our legs. On many 

 occasions the engines were stopped dead by ice choking 

 the screw ; once it was some minutes before it could be got 

 to revolve again. Anxious moments those ! 



After yesterday's experience I can understand how men's 

 hair have turned grey in a few hours. Had self-reliance 

 been my only support and hope, it is not impossible that I 

 might have illustrated the fact. Under the circumstances 

 I did my best to insure our safety, looked as stoical as 

 possible, and inwardly trusted that God would favour our 

 exertions. What a release ours has been, not only from 

 eight months' imprisonment, but from the perils of that one 

 day ! Had our little vessel been destroyed after the ice 

 broke up, there remained no hope for us. But we have been 

 brought safely through, and are all inexpressibly grateful, 

 I hope, and believe. 



I grieve to think of poor Lady Franklin and our friends 

 at home. Severely as we have felt the failure of our first 

 season's operations, yet the ordeal is now over with us : not 

 so with her and them, — they have still to experience that 

 bitter disappointment. 



Our distance within the pack-edge, where we first made 

 sail yesterday, was 22 miles. Before we got clear of the 

 ice the height of the waves was 13 J feet; after passing 

 through the last of it there was no increase, but the sea was 

 more confused ; in fact, within the ice all minor disturbances 

 were quelled or merged into a regular succession of fast- 

 following waves. The . ship and her machinery behaved 

 most admirably in the struggle ; should I ever have to pass 

 through such an ice-covered heaving ocean again, let me 

 secure a passage in the ' Fox.' 



