456 WHALE-FISHERY. 



other part taken upon the ice : this was then con- 

 nected, with different purchases fixed to the ice, in 

 such a way, that the power was increased thirty-six 

 times ; or, abating friction, I suppose every man 

 would be able to produce the effect of nearly a 

 ton. The other end of the same hawser, was in 

 a similar way attached to the fore-mast, and, by 

 means of ice-anchors, and a complex combination 

 of blocks, was also connected with the ice. 

 When, therefore, these purchases should be put in 

 force, the hawser would have a tendency to draw 

 the keel upward, towards the edge of the floe across 

 which it lay, and to pull the offside gunwale down- 

 ward, and consequently to reverse the position of the 

 ship. For the purpose of increasing the effect of 

 the purchases, as well as for retaining the ship's 

 masts downwards, if the reversion should be per- 

 formed, we suspended an anchor from the main-mast- 

 head, and another from the fore-mast-head, by means 

 of hawsers, applied in such a way that one part went 

 under the ship's keel, and could be cut when it was 

 required to restore the ship to her former position. 

 These anchors beinc: likewise connected with the 

 ice, by means of a slack-rope, would be preserved 

 from sinking, when they sliould be separated from 

 the ship by cutting the hawser at the keel. 



Every thing being thus prepared, whilst the wa- 

 ter flowed into the ship, I sent our exhausted crew 

 to seek a little rest. For my own part, necessity 



