72 WINTER ISLAND. 



sides, gradually lay over to starboard, being, in 

 the technical phrase, slightly nipped. 



I had thought it not unlikely that the force 

 of the wind might possibly have turned round 

 some of the heavy remote ice, and thereby have 

 left a little clear space for the removal of that 

 near us ; but it must have been wedged against 

 the coast or among the islands which were 

 visible (Winter Island among the rest) from the 

 crow's nest. Appearances, indeed, were more 

 unpromising than we had yet experienced ; and 

 our devotions of that day (for it was Sunday) 

 were tinged with an humble hope that we should 

 shortly be released from our anxious situation. 

 Rain fell occasionally, and towards evening the 

 wind veered round to the south-west, directly 

 off the floe, affording one other chance of re- 

 moving the ice along the western shore, if any 

 unoccupied space were left in that quarter. The 

 effect on the ship was sensibly felt by her being 

 forced more over to starboard ; and during the 

 early part of the night, she was lifted up by the 

 stern in consequence of several loose pieces of 

 ice having got under her counter. On the fol- 

 lowing day (the 29th), the strain on the haw- 

 sers was as much as they could bear ; and as 

 little or no motion could be detected in the 

 ice, it was attributed to the tide or current, 

 which, however* scarcely altered our position. 



