June, 1858. NEARLY WRECKED. 105 



CHAPTER VIII. 



' Fox ' nearly wrecked — Afloat, and push ahead — Arctic hair-breadth 

 escapes — Nearly caught in the pack — Shooting little auks — The 

 arctic highlanders — Cape York — Crimson snow — Struggling to 

 the westward — Reach the West-land — Off the entrance of Lan- 

 caster Sound. 



June Wi. — Yesterday morning we passed close outside 

 Buchan Island \ it is small but lofty, its north side is almost 

 precipitous, yet, notwithstanding this strong indication of 

 deep water, a reef of rocks lies about a mile off it. I hap- 

 pened to be aloft with the look-out-man at half-past eight 

 o'clock as we were steaming through a narrow lead in the 

 ice, when I saw a rock close ahead ; it was capped with ice, 

 therefore was hardly distinguishable from the floating masses 

 around ; the engines were stopped and reversed, but there 

 was neither time nor room to avoid the reef, which now 

 extended upon each side of us, and upon which the ship's 

 bow stuck fast whilst her stern remained in 36 feet water ; 

 the tide had just commenced to fall, and all our efforts 

 to haul off from the rocks were ineffectual. The floes lay 

 within 30 yards of us upon each side. I feared their drifting 

 down upon the ship and turning her over; but fortunately 

 it was perfectly calm, and as the tide fell, points of the reef 

 held them fast. The ship continued to fall over to star- 

 board; at dead low water her inclination was 35 ; the 

 water covered the starboard gunwale from the mainmast aft ; 

 and reached almost up to the after hatchway ; at this time 

 the slightest shake must have caused her to fall over upon 



