CHAP. V.] TUMULT CEASES. 225 



across our snow houses, galleries, and court yard. 

 The ship creaked in her beams and timbers ; and 

 to our great dismay, the increasing daylight 

 shewed an advancing rampart of ice forming a 

 semicircle to seaward, and already much nearer 

 to us, from having rolled in one vast body full 

 eighty yards. It extended from S. W. to N. E., 

 and Lieutenant M'Murdo who made the report, 

 estimated its height at thirty feet.* In all parts 

 now, within the scope of the above bearings, 

 enormous calves, some round and massy, others 

 like small floes, had escaped from confinement, 

 and tossed up into irregular positions looked 

 like so many engines threatening destruction. 

 But at this moment of most imminent peril there 

 was a pause, and at near 7 h a.m. the whole tumult 

 suddenly ceased. It will be remembered that 

 as a screen from the severity of the climate, the 

 decks had been covered with layers, and the 

 sides protected by embankments of snow, now 

 hardened almost into solidity. I gave orders 

 that the whole of these should be cleared 

 away, as well to lighten the ship as much as 

 possible, as to get access to our supply of pro- 

 visions, which were ranged along the bulwark, 

 and this was the only step I could take towards 

 our preservation, in the event of the ship being 



* It. afterwards sank to eighteen feet. 

 Q 



