Chap. XIII. BACK'S ATTEMPT TO REACH REPULSE BAY. 497 



no doubt " that the bulwark of our security had 

 been shattered." 



It still held together for three or four days, and, 

 crazy as it was, carried them within sight of Sea- 

 horse Point, the southern extreme of Southampton 

 Island, when, on the 18th of February, the crashing 

 of the ice at the eastern edge of the floe was alarm- 

 ingly loud, followed by a hoarse rushing sound, and 

 several severe shocks against the ship; and it is 

 added, " the rent in the ice now formed one con- 

 tinuous line of separation, directly through the 

 centre on which the ship was mounted." 



" The ship now began to complain, and strained consider- 

 ably under the counter. She then heeled over to port, and 

 relieved herself about six inches from the starboard embank- 

 ment against the side, making by the effort gaping rents 

 through the snow walls. At this time the crashing, grinding, 

 and rushing noise beneath, as well as at the borders of the 

 floe, the rents and cracks in all directions towards the ship, 

 herself suffering much, the freezing cold of — 33°, combined 

 to render our situation not a little perilous and uncomfort- 

 able."— p. 224. 



The cracking, and groaning, and complaining of 



the poor Terror, and the interminable ice in which 



she was fixed, reminds one of the ' Ancient Mariner* 



of Coleridge — 



" The ice was here, 

 The ice was there, 



The ice was all around ; 

 It cracked and growled, 

 And roared and howled, 

 Like noises in a swound." 



2 K 



