202 THE SEA. 



5 p.m., however, the piece near the ship having previously opened enough to allow of 

 her resuming a nearly upright position, collapsed again with a force that made every plank 

 complain; and further pressure being added at 6 o'clock, an ominous cracking was heard, 

 that only ceased on her being lifted bodily up eighteen inches. The same unwelcome- 

 visitation was repeated an hour afterwards in consequence of the closing of a narrow lane 

 directly astern. The night was very fine, but the vapour which arose from the many cracks as 

 well as from the small open space alongside, quickly becoming converted into small spiculse 

 of snow, rendered the cold intolerably keen to those who faced the wind. Up to midnight 

 we were not much annoyed, and for four hours afterwards, on February 21st, all was quiet. 

 Every man had gone to rest with his clothes on, and was agreeably surprised on being so 

 long undisturbed by the usual admonitory grinding. However, at 4 a.m. a commotion 

 was heard, which appeared to be confined to the angle contained between west and north- 

 west. On looking round at daybreak it was found that the ship had been released by 

 the retreating of the ice, and had nearly righted; but at 5 a.m. she rose eighteen 

 inches as before; she was then at intervals jerked up from the pressure underneath, with 

 a groan each time from the woodwork." And so it went on from day to day, Back and 

 his men being kept incessantly at their duties, and constantly at work examining, and, where 

 it was possible, strengthening the ship. Up to the middle of March they were, however, 

 still safe, but on the 15th they were destined to witness trials of a more awful nature. 



" While we were gliding quickly along the land," says Back " which I may here 

 remark, had become more broken and rocky, though without obtaining an altitude of more 

 than perhaps one or two hundred feet at 1.45 p.m., without the least warning, a heavy 

 rush came upon the ship, and, with a tremendous pressure on the larboard quarter, bore 

 her over upon the heavy mass upon her starboard quarter. The strain was severe in every 

 part, though from the forecastle she appeared to be moving in the easiest manner towards 

 the land ice. Suddenly, however, a loud crack was heard below the mainmast, as if the 

 keel were broken or carried away; and simultaneously the outer stern-post from the ten- 

 feet mark was split down to an unknown extent, and projected to the larboard side upwards 

 of three feet. The ship was thrown up by the stern to the seven-and-a-half feet mark; 

 and that damage had been done was soon placed beyond doubt by the increase of leakage, 

 which now amounted to three feet per hour. Extra pumps were worked, and while some 

 of the carpenters were fixing diagonal shores forward, others were examining the orlops 

 and other parts. It was reported to me by the first lieutenant, master, and carpenter, that 

 nothing could be detected inside, though apprehensions were entertained by the two former 

 that some serious injury had been inflicted. In spite of the commotion the different pieces 

 of our floe still remained firm ; but being unable to foresee what might take place in the 

 night, I ordered the cutters and two whale-boats to be lowered down, and hauled with their 

 stores to places considered more secure; this was accordingly done, though not under two 

 hours and a half, even with the advantage of daylight. The ship was still setting fast along 

 shore, and much too close to the fixed ice; but it was not till past 8 p.m. that any 

 suspicious movement was noticed near us ; then, however, a continually increasing rush 

 was heard, which at 10.45 p.m. came on with a heavy roar towards the larboard quarter, 

 upturning in its progress and rolling onward with it an immense wall of ice. This advanced 



