118 SUDDEN GALE. 



We accordingly steered to the west, elated 

 at the prospect of this new adventure; but, 

 scarcely had we time to contemplate the change 

 in our destination, when the situation of the 

 vessels demanded our most serious attention. 

 In order to execute the first part of Captain 

 Buchan's intentions, it was necessary to trace 

 the ice, and minutely to examine its outline ; 

 and we were thus sailing along it at a rea- 

 sonable distance, when a gale of wind from 

 the south-west arose so suddenly that we were 

 at once reduced to storm-staysails. The sea 

 got up equally fast, and rendered ineffectual 

 our endeavour to maintain our position with 

 regard to the ice, on the western tack at least, 

 and we in consequence wore round, early in 

 the morning of the 30th July, in the hope of 

 being more successful on the other. 



An hour had scarcely elapsed from this man- 

 oeuvre, when the main body of ice, which had 

 been lost sight of for a short time, was seen 

 close upon the lee-beam, with the sea beating 

 furiously upon it. The imminent danger to 

 which the vessels were now exposed induced 

 us to press them with all the sail they would 

 bear, by setting the close-reefed main-topsail and 

 foresail, but they availed us nothing ; we settled 

 down gradually upon the danger, and were soon 



