380 DR. HAYES' TERRIBLE BOAT TRIP 



"It became now evident that we were in great jeopardy. We had run 

 down into a bight, with a lee-shore to the east, and ice to the south and west. 

 We were in the bend of a great horseshoe. 



"There was no time to get out the oars and pull up to windward; the 

 boat could not have lived long enough to get her head around to the waves. 

 The cargo was piled upon the thwarts, and a quarter of an hour would 

 scarcely have sufficed to clear them. Something must be done and that 

 quickly. The wind increased in violence, the waves rolled higher and higher. 

 We could only run down upon the ice and trust to luck. Choosing a point 

 to the southwest, where the pack looked weakest, we brailed up the mainsail, 

 took a hasty reef in the foresail, hauled in the jib, and ran for it. John took 

 the steering oar, Petersen conned the boat from the forecastle, Stephenson 

 held the sheet, Bonsall stood by the brail of the foresail, and the rest of 

 us took whatever of boat-hooks and poles we could lay hands on, to 'fend off.' 



The boat bounded away. 



"'See any opening, Petersen?' 'No, sir!' An anxious five minutes fol- 

 lowed. 'I see what looks like a lead; we must try for it.' 'Give the word, 

 Petersen.' On flew the boat. 'Let her fall off a little — off! — Ease off the 

 sheet — so — steady! — A little more off — so! — Steady there — steady, as she 

 goes !' Our skilful pilot was running us through a narrow lead which termi- 

 nated in a little bight, where the water was, fortunately smooth. We were 

 beginning to hope that it would carry us through the pack, when he cried 

 out, 'It's a blind lead!' 'Tight everywhere?' 'I see no opening!' 'There's a 

 crack to windward.' 'Can't make it — Let go the sheet — brail up — fend 

 off!' Thump, crash, push. The stem struck fair, and the force of the blow 

 was broken by the poles. In an instant all hands sprang out upon the floe. 

 The boat did not appear to have been seriously damaged." 



The boat was hauled upon the floe and the party prepared for a terrible 

 night. They determined, in the face of storm and cold, to go to Lyttleton 

 Island,, and they did reach it only to suffer more tortures. The temperature 

 was 22 below. 



"The water," says Dr. Hayes, "was freezing upon our clothes. We must 

 either land on the island, or run before the wind down under Cape Ohlsen, 

 live miles south. This last would carry us too far from our comrades of the 

 Hope, and we determined to land on the island if possible. Our metallic boat 

 would stand a good deal of thumping. There were no breakers ; but the 

 swell, which came in from the west, made the sea anything but smooth. With 

 a wooden boat it would have been dangerous to approach the rocks. 



