400 ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 



In the midst of a thick shower, the snow was ob- 

 served to clear away to leeward, which warned me 

 of an approaching shift of wind. Immediately, all 

 hands were ordered on deck, to attend the sails, 

 and every man at his station awaited the event. In 

 about ten minutes the sails gave a violent shake, and 

 were the next instant take7i fiat aback. The wind, 

 though blowing a fresh gale, veered in a moment 

 from N. N. W. to E. S. E. We steered by the 

 wind, after reefing sails, about an hour and a half 

 to the north-eastward, when the snow began to 

 abate, but the wind of a sudden became so violent, 

 that the utmost exertions of all the crew were but 

 just sufficient to prevent the sails from blowing to 

 pieces. At length, all was made snug ; a close-reef- 

 ed main-topsail, and storm try-sail, were alone ex- 

 posed to the fury of the tempest. On the second 

 day of the storm's continuance, a heavy sea struck 

 the ship, and with dreadful violence mounted the 

 deck ; it had nearly precipitated a boat suspended 

 from the weather quarter, over the rail, — it lifted 

 and removed an eighteen pounder carronade ; — 

 filled two boats with water, — and stove or washed 

 away the whole of the bulwark, fore and aft. 



During the whole of this gale, which lasted three 

 days, the barometer remained perfectly stationary. 



On May 17. 1812, lat. 16\ 7' long. 9^° E. the 

 ship which I commanded was immured among ice, 

 and the wind blew a hard gale from the N. N. W. 



