74 Perils of Arctic Navigation. 



them from the heavy and angry white-topped 

 waves that came curling up astern and on each 

 quarter, apparently eager to overtake and swallow 

 up the little vessel that was flying in mad career 

 along their crests. Suddenly a huge mountain of 

 ice was seen ahead. To have struck it would have 

 been total destruction to the little craft, and death 

 in all its horrors to those on board. " Hard a-port" 

 was yelled in agonized tones from the look-out on 

 the forecastle, <l hard a-port" was echoed along the 

 deck, and answered quickly and smartly by the 

 ever- watchful and ready helmsman. To answer 

 and to act was the work of a moment, a breathless 

 suspense for all on board, and amidst the sighing 

 of the wind, the creaking of the masts, and the 

 rattling of the blocks and cordage, accompanied by 

 a far more fearful and dreadful sound, namely, that 

 of the sea dashing over the berg, the little ship, 

 obedient to her helm, flew up to the wind, and as 

 she did so, the eddy and the back-water from the 

 lumbering mass of ice nearly threw her upon her 

 beam ends to windward. She quickly righted, and 

 as the wind again caught her sails, her lee yard- 

 arms scraped along a steep and precipitous berg, 

 causing fragments to break off, which actually fell 

 upon the ship's deck. In another moment they 

 were clear — and saved ! the enemy with whom they 

 had had so close a death-struggle lost to sight in 

 the thick snow and foam astern. 



In addition to these perils, which must neces- 



