NINE MONTHS IN THE ARCTIC. 67 



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pitching and laboring dreadfully, while the sea 

 was flying all over her deck, and the spray reach- 

 ing nearly or quite to her fore and main yards. 

 She was utterly unmanageable ; and, at this in- 

 stant, another sea boarded her, and took off three 

 boats. The yards were ordered to be braced 

 round as soon as possible ; but, in the act of 

 bracing them, a terrible blast of wind struck and 

 carried away the fore and mizzen topsails, half- 

 sheeted home. The foresail was now ordered to 

 be set, the ship still pitching, tumbling, and roll- 

 ing frightfully, and tossed about as a mere play- 

 thing at the mercy of winds and waves. In the 

 act of setting the foresail, the weather clew was 

 carried away, and with the next sea the ship 

 struck aft very heavily, and knocked her rudder 

 off, and sent the wheel up through the house. 

 From five to eight minutes she struck forward 

 with such stunning and overwhelming effect that 

 the try-works started three or four feet from the 

 deck, and opened a hole so large in her starboard 

 bow that the largest casks came out. 



About this time, the foremast was cut away, 

 with the hope of temporarily relieving the foun- 

 dering vessel. Shortly after this, the ship struck 

 midships ; and the dreadful crash which followed 

 showed that her entire framework was shattered, 

 while the standing masts bent to and fro like 



