1875 HEAVY GALES. 5 



wind blowing furiously, and the 'Discovery' out of 

 sight. Expecting a change the ship was wore, but not 

 without a heavy sea breaking in over the stern, for- 

 tunately without damage. While lying-to on the star- 

 board tack the ship rolled very heavily, large quantities 

 of water coming in alternately over either gunwale ; 

 at last a sea broke into a whale-boat hanging at the 

 waist davits outside the ship ; the weight of the water 

 tearing out one of the bolts by which she was secured ; 

 the boat was left suspended perpendicularly by the 

 after fall alone, and by the time that she was again 

 secured had become so badly damaged as to be beyond 

 repair. 



By the following morning the barometer had risen 

 slightly, but the heavy sea and strong gale continued 

 until late in the day. Sail was made as soon as the 

 violence of the wind permitted, in order if possible to 

 steady the ship ; but it proved a total failure, she con- 

 tinued to roll to windward in spite of all we could do 

 to prevent it. The ' Discovery ' was nowhere in sight, 

 and as her boats were even more exposed than those 

 of the ' Alert/ we were naturally somewhat anxious as 

 to how she had got through the gale. Many thoughts 

 were also directed towards the live sheep on board 

 of the ' Valorous,' and doubts were expressed as to 

 whether their lives could have been saved. 



On the 15th we experienced a calm, but owing to 

 the heavy sea the ship rolled worse than ever. There 

 was, however, one agreeable advantage in the Arctic 

 ships, for owing to their very great solidity, the incessant 

 creaking of each ladder and bulkhead usual in ordinary 

 ships was completely prevented, and but for the constant 



