116 DANGEES IN 



but in vain, o^^ing to the violence of tlie gale, and 

 scudded to leeward ; thus lea\'ing fourteen of her 

 crew to a fate the most dreadful, the fidfibnent of 

 wliich appeared abnost inevitable. The temperature 

 was at 15^ Fahrenheit, when these poor fellows 

 vv^ere left upon a detached piece of ice of no con- 

 siderable magnitude, without food, without shelter 

 from the inclement storm, and deprived of every 

 means of refuge, except a single boat, which, on 

 account of the number of men and the violence of 

 the storm, w^as incapable of conveying them to their 

 sliip. Death stared them in the face whichever 

 way they turned, and a division of opinion ensued. 

 Some were wishful to remain by the ice ; but it 

 could afford them no shelter and would probably 

 be soon broken to pieces by the increasmg swell ; 

 others were anxious to attempt to join their ship 

 whilst she was yet in sight ; but the force of the 

 ■\vind, tlie violence of the sea, and the smallness of 

 the boat, were objections which would liave ap- 

 peared insurmountable to any but men in a state of 

 despair. Judging that, by remaining on the ice, 

 death was but retarded for a few hours, as the ex- 

 treme cold must eventually benumb their faculties, 

 they determined to make the attempt of ro\\dng to 

 the ship. Poor souls ! WTiat must have been their 

 sensations at this moment ? They made the daring 

 experiment, when a few minutes tiial convinced 

 them that the attempt was impracticable. They 

 then, wdth longing eyes, turned their efforts to- 

 wards recovering the ice which they had left ; but 



