424 PUMPS STILL REQUIRED. [CHAP.VI.: 



by nightfall the coast of Long Island, whose 

 rugged rocks were contemplated eight hours 

 before with no agreeable sensations, was beginning 

 to assume a fainter tinge, and to give place to 

 the loom of some uncertain land, conjectured to 

 be Green Island, bearing about east. 



Heavy rain, similar to that ordinarily met with 

 at the edge of a pack, or at least in the vicinity of 

 open water, together with thick weather, effectu- 

 ally screened the shore from view. This continu- 

 ing throughout the night, on August 1st we had 

 no means of ascertaining our position otherwise 

 than by sounding; but as this gave one hundred 

 and twenty-eight fathoms water, on a muddy 

 bottom, all cause for anxiety was at an end. 

 The ice continued to slacken about the ship 

 and to windward, and at noon the tempera- 

 ture was 34°. Two pumps were always required 

 to keep the ship free ; and, notwithstanding 

 our present sheltered situation, yet the jerking 

 and concussions received from passing ice added 

 to the effect of a slight swell, just sufficient to 

 swing the broadside at intervals against the 

 piece to which we were attached, had contri- 

 buted to weaken still further the after part of 

 the ship, so that, to use the carpenter's phrase, 

 " the bolts wept ;" or, in other words, were 

 already sufficiently loosened to allow of the 

 waters oozing between them and the wood. 



14f 



