NINE MONTHS IN THE ARCTIC. 61 



swayed out so far that the man was compelled 

 to let it go in order to save his life. It was with 

 the greatest difficulty he reached the shore. 



As the only and last resort which remained, 

 offering reasonable prospect of deliverance, the 

 mainmast was cut away. The ship was now 

 lying nearly broadside to the shore, with her deck 

 inboard, and so much heeled that it required the 

 greatest attention to prevent one from falling off. 

 The mast fell in the direction of the shore, and 

 nearly reached land. The sea was still breaking 

 with fearful power over the vessel, and its spray 

 flying in dense masses over every thing around 

 us, and the din of the thundering billows, as they 

 beat upon the wreck and upon the shore, drowned 

 all human voices to silence. 



Again the captain passed along to the forward 

 part of the ship, and once more remonstrated, 

 urged and entreated his men to exert themselves 

 for their safety and lives, as they had now the 

 same means of getting ashore that the officers 

 had ; and, furthermore, that in a short time the 

 deck would go to pieces, and then there would 

 be but little, if any hope of their being saved. 

 He resolved he would not leave the wreck until 

 he saw his men in a fair way of escape. Up to 

 this time, no one, it is supposed, had been lost; 

 several had reached land in safety, but those still 



