ACCIDENT TO RUDDER. 89 



Indeed, it could be owing only to the amazing 

 pressure from the north, which ground the smaller 

 pieces into powder, and either sunk or threw 

 up others, at various heights and angles, upon 

 the larger pieces, that a space was cleared for 

 our drifting. Whatever the cause, we were set- 

 ting directly on the shore, without the slightest 

 means of averting it. 



Near 8 h p. m., a general hubbub, with harsh 

 grating sounds, announced a commotion about 

 the stern, which being turned away from the 

 floe, among the looser ice, was more exposed 

 than any other part The tiller had been secured 

 with lashings, to confine the rudder amidships, 

 but a steep and heavy mass coming against 

 it under the quarter, snapped the lashings like 

 threads, and forced the rudder violently on one 

 side, from which position it could not be re- 

 lieved until the ice moved away. About the 

 same time another warp was broken, after which 

 we were not much further disturbed during the 

 night. 



Sept. 8th brought no change. The same dreary 

 weather overhung the heavens as with a veil. 

 The coast however was dimly seen, forming, 

 according to our position, a long bay, termi- 

 nated abruptly to the westward by a projecting 

 bluff point, which we supposed to be that dis- 



