NINE MONTHS IN THE ARCTIC. 59 



round the forecastle and forward part of the 

 ship, amazed, stupefied, cold, and shivering, and 

 had apparently given themselves up to the fate 

 which awaited them. 



The fog having in a measure cleared away, the 

 land was more plainly seen, and just at hand — ■ 

 not more than three hundred yards distant. The 

 mainmast was still standing ; and there was 

 every indication that the entire top of the vessel, 

 including the first and second decks, had become 

 separated from her bottom, and was drifting in 

 towards the shore. This proved to be the case. 

 The standing mast was now inclining towards 

 the shore, which seemed to present the only way 

 to deliverance and life. The captain, therefore, 

 encouraged his men to seize the first opportunity 

 which should occur, and escape to land, and the 

 sooner they did so the safer and better. 



As the ship changed her position by the action 

 of the waves, which swept over and around her 

 with resistless fury, the end of the flying jib 

 boom, at one time, was brought quite near the 

 shore. The seamen were again urged to make 

 an effort to save themselves. It was, indeed, a 

 most desperate chance to venture an escape even 

 from a present danger, with the liability of falling 

 into another, unknown, and perhaps more to be 

 dreaded. Though so near the solid land, towards 



