76 THE CALL OF THE SEA 



ships were stranded upon some sands, such as are 



the flats of St. Maixant. 



Francois Rabelais. 



Collision between the Erebus and Terror 

 (From A Voyage of Discovery) 



LARGE berg was seen ahead, and quite 



A 



close to us ; the ship was immediately hauled 

 to the wind on the port tack, with the expectation 

 of being able to weather it ; but just at this 

 moment the Terror was observed running down 

 upon us, under her topsails and foresail ; and as 

 it was impossible for her to clear both the berg 

 and the Erebics^ collision was inevitable. We in- 

 stantly hove all aback to diminish the violence of 

 the shock ; but the concussion when she struck 

 us was such as to throw almost every one off 

 his feet ; our bowsprit, fore-topmast, and other 

 smaller spars, were carried away ; and the ships 

 hanging together, entangled by their rigging, and 

 dashing against each other with fearful violence, 

 were falling down upon the weather face of the 

 lofty berg under our lee, against which the waves 

 were breaking and foaming to near the summit of 

 its perpendicular cliffs. Sometimes she rose high 

 above us, almost exposing her keel to view, and 

 again descended as we in our turn rose to the top 



