108 DANGER FROM ICE-MASSES. Chap. VI. 



Throughout the day I trembled for the safety 

 of the rudder, and screw ; deprived of the one 

 or the other, even for half an hour, I think 

 our fate vs^ould have been sealed; to have 

 steered in any other direction than against the 

 swell would have exposed, and probably sacri- 

 ficed, both. 



Our bow is very strongly fortified, well plated 

 externally with iron, and so very sharp that the 

 ice-masses, repeatedly hurled against the ship by 

 the swell as she rose to meet it, were thus 

 robbed of their destructive force ; they struck 

 us obliquely, yet caused the vessel to shake 

 violently, the bells to ring, and almost knocked 

 us off our legs. On many occasions the en- 

 gines were stopped dead by ice choking the 

 screw ; once it was some minutes before it 

 could be got to revolve again. Anxious mo- 

 ments those ! ' 



After yesterday's experience I can understand 

 how men's hair have turned grey in a few hours. 

 Had self-reliance been my only support and 

 hope, it is not impossible that I might have illus- 

 trated the fact. Under the cirjjumstances I did 

 my best to insure our safety, looked as stoical as 

 possible, and inwardly trusted that God would 

 favour our exertions. What a release ours has 



