86 MISCELLANEOUS. 
but immediately blown away, the storm staysail and trysail were bent, but the 
wind had increased to such violence that no canvass could withstand its force. 
The position of the Hox was at this time most perilous. Hove to under bare 
poles, the force of the wind was yet so great that she drifted with fearful rapidity, 
surrounded in all directions by loose pieces of ice. The spray was tora from the 
top of the waves, filling the lower stratum of air with eddying clouds like snow- 
drift, which blew with blinding violence into the faces and eyes of those on deck. 
The ship was in an almost helpless condition ; the clouds of spray hid the pieces 
of ice from view until the ship was upon them, while the intense roar of the 
wind drowned every other sound, the ship driving helplessly before the wind 
avoiding many pieces of ice, but striking others with a foree which would have 
immediaiely proved destructive to any other ship less strongly constructed. At 
12 noon the ship ran stem on to a piece of ice with such force that even the 
power of the wind was insufficient to disengage her ; other pieces of ice were 
driven astern, and for a few minutes the lives of all on board did not seem worth 
10 minutes’ purchase. The fore trysail was loosened and immediately split, but 
the impetus given was sufficient to clear her, and she glided from between the 
pieces as they closed. Throughout the remainder of the day the wind continued 
to blow with increased violence and the barometer to fall, and the 
bulwark stanchions on the starboard side were carried away by the 
sea and ice. The water in the engine-room increased so fast that 
at six p.m., it extinguished the fires, and the engines stopped, thus removing the 
last chance of steering the ship clear of the floe, pieces and bergs as they appeared 
Night was also coming on, so that the preservation of the ship and those on board 
seemed little less than miraculous, as human exertions could dono more. At 
half-pasi seven p.m., the barometer, which had fallen an inch and a-half, showed 
a decided tendency upwards, and in half-an-hour the violence of the squalls was 
perceptibly less ; from this time till 11 30 p.m., the wind continued to fall off until 
it so far abated that the ship could be hove to with the staysail set. At daylight 
on the 23rd sail was made, and the ship stood to the north-east with a fair wind, 
But so totally had the ship been driven out of her reckoning by the prevailing 
storm that she was found at noon to be nearly a degree to the northward of her 
supposed position, and according to the charts and chronometers, absolutely sailing 
upon the land; the former were, however, found ultimately to be incorrect- 
Very little ice was to be'seen, the storm having, as is usually the case, effectually 
seattered and destroyed it. On the afternoon of the 28rd it again threatened, and 
in the evening again blew with such violence that the ship was hove to under 
storm staysail. During the succeeding eight days the Hor encountered nothing but 
a succession of foul winds and such heavy gales that it was impossible to reach 
Fredrickshaab for the purpose of refilling and obtaining water. 
On the 2nd of October, after great difficulty, the above harbour was reached- 
Soon after her arrival, the ice from the southward again made its appearance, and 
as the reports concerning its extent were contradictory, a boat expedition was 
organized to examine it, and, if necessary to proceed to Julianshaab, about which 
district the principal examination would be necessary. After proceeding south- 
ward one day’s journey, the ice was seen close in shore, but the sea far out was 
