280 THE CRISIS. [CHAP.V. 



and forcing the ship ahead raised her up on the 

 ice. A chaotic ruin followed ; our poor and 

 cherished court yard, its wall and arched doors, 

 gallery, and well-trodden paths, were rent, and 

 in some parts ploughed up like dust. The ship 

 was careened fully four streaks, and sprung a 

 leak as before. Scarcely were ten minutes left us 

 for the expression of our astonishment that any 

 thing of human build could outlive such assaults, 

 when at l h a. m. another equally violent rush 

 succeeded ; and in its way towards the star- 

 board quarter threw up a rolling wave thirty 

 feet high, crowned by a blue square mass 

 of many tons, resembling the entire side of a 

 house, which, after hanging for some time in 

 doubtful poise on the ridge, at length fell with a 

 crash into the hollow, in which, as in a cavern, 

 the after part of the ship seemed imbedded. It 

 was indeed an awful crisis, rendered more fright- 

 ful from the mistiness of the night and dimness 

 of the moon. The poor ship cracked and trem- 

 bled violently ; and no one could say that the 

 next minute would not be her last and, indeed, 

 his own too, for with her our means of safety 

 would probably perish. The leak continued, 

 and again (most likely as before, from counter- 

 pressure) the principal one closed up. When all 

 this was over, and there seemed to be a chance 

 of a respite, I ordered a double allowance of pre- 



