CHAP. VI.] REVOLUTION OF ICE ASTERN, 423 



was no possibility of keeping the ship's head in the 

 right direction, or preventing her from drifting bo- 

 dily towards the land : sail, therefore, was shortened, 

 and we made fast to the largest piece near. By this 

 measure, however, our way to the south was rather 

 increased than diminished, and sail was again set ; 

 when, after drifting considerably to leeward, her 

 head was at length forced in the right direction, 

 and she went ahead about twice her own length. 

 Th en,flnding all further exertion useless, the for mer 

 plan of carrying out an ice-anchor to the heaviest 

 piece was adopted, and, the sails being furled, 

 we remained quiet until 10 h 30 m a. m., when, by 

 a sudden revolution of the ice astern, a weighty 

 mass came in contact with the rudder, and, be- 

 fore we could warp out of danger, had well nigh 

 carried it away. A few minutes, however, 

 sufficed to haul the ship's broadside to the larger 

 piece, where we lay secure. It might have been 

 expected, from our previous drift with a westerly 

 breeze, that now that the wind had drawn round 

 to the north-east we should have been driven still 

 more to the southward, where some low rocks, 

 apparently not much above the water, were 

 ready to receive us. But here again was another 

 anomaly; for, notwithstanding the drag of the 

 ship against the ice to which she was anchored, 

 greatly to our astonishment she went to wind- 

 ward, almost, indeed, in the wind's eye, so that 



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