Bibliography. 159 
We had, from time to time, glimpses of their obscure outline, appearing 
as though immediately above us. After many escapes I found the ship 
so covered with ice, and the watch so powerless in managing her, that 
a little after midnight, on the 29th, I had all hands called. Scarcely 
had they been reported on deck, when it was known to me that the 
gunner, Mr. Williamson, had fallen, broken his ribs, and otherwise 
injured himself on the icy deck. 
“The gale at this‘moment was awful. We found we were passing 
large masses of drift ice, and ice islands became more numerous. A 
little after 1 o’clock it was terrific, and the sea was now so heavy that 
I was obliged to reduce sail still further:—the fore and main topsails 
were clewed up; the former was furled, but the latter being a new 
sail, much difficulty was found in securing it. A seaman, by the name 
of Brooks, in endeavoring to execute the order to furl, got on the lee 
yard-arm, and the sail, having blown over the yard, prevented his re- 
turn. Not being aware of his position until it was reported to me from 
the forecastle, he remained there some time. On my seeing him, he 
appeared stiff and clinging to the yard and lift. Spilling lines were at 
once rove, and an officer and several men went aloft to rescue him; 
which they succeeded in doing by passing a bow-line around his body 
and dragging him into the top. He was almost frozen to death. Sev- 
eral of the men were completely exhausted by cold, fatigue and excite- 
ment, and were sent below. This added to our anxieties, and but little 
hope remained to me of escaping. I felt that neither prudence nor 
foresight could avail in protecting the ship and crew. All that could 
be done was to be prepared for any emergency by keeping every one 
at his station. 
** We were swiftly dashing on, for I felt it necessary to keep the ship 
under rapid way through the water, to enable her to steer and work 
quickly. Suddenly, many voices cried out—‘ Ice ahead! then, ‘On 
the lee bow!’ and again, ‘On the lee bow and abeam!’ All hope of 
escape seemed in a moment to vanish. Return we could not, as large 
ice islands had been passed to leeward; so we dashed on, expecting 
every moment the crash. The ship in an instant from having her lee 
guns under water rose upright; and so close were we passing to lee- 
ward of one of these huge islands, that our trysails were almost thrown 
aback by the eddy wind. The helm was put up, but the proximity of 
those under our lee made me keep my course. All was now still, ex- 
cept the distant roar of the wild storm, that was raging behind, before 
and above us: the sea was in great agitation, and both officers and men 
were in the highest degree excited. 
“‘The ship continued her way, and as we proceeded a glimmering of 
hope arose, for we accidentally had lit upon a clear passage between 
