,400 DISRUPTION NEAR SHIP. [CHAP.VI. 



a thin mist, and, to our unaccustomed eyes a 

 sight almost marvellous, a gentle swell on an 

 apparently unbroken surface. It was thought 

 the agitation, slight as it was, might crack or 

 break the ice alongside ; but as it proved other- 

 wise, two warps fixed to ice anchors, and lead- 

 ing to either extremity of the ship, were firmly 

 attached at a favourable angle for separating and 

 entirely disuniting the entire mass ; however, 

 while we were in the act of heaving a powerful 

 strain on the warps, it suddenly split diagonally 

 from a hummocky point about fifteen paces from 

 the starboard bow, along its outer edge, to some- 

 where near the after part of the main chains. 

 The detached portion, on which were two men, 

 (a third being in the dingy, close to them), was 

 instantaneously splintered into three pieces, two 

 of which, singularly enough, were separately 

 occupied by the persons just mentioned, who, 

 standing steadily on the whirling and heaving 

 ice, thus violently discarded, gave a hearty 

 cheer, while their companion, having lost his 

 balance from the sudden jerking of the dingy, 

 lay stretched at full length, and grasping the gun- 

 whale on each side. The cheering however was 

 turned to astonishment, as they watched the ship 

 slowly rising and heeling over to port. We on 

 board had been surprised that no counter action 

 occurred, and were beginning to wonder that the 



