306 THE ISLAND OF NANTUCKET. 



wrecking boat which brought ashore a stern line, the 

 faithful boat was soon safely moored, when a lusty 

 three cheers went up from those on the wharf. 



The appearance of the boat foretold her experience 

 during the night; for some twenty feet of the gangway 

 had been stoven in, and the decks were a mass of ice. 

 The few passengers on board, or rather the male por- 

 tion of them, were gathered near the gap, some pale 

 and wearied from the effects of sea-sickness and a night 

 of anxious watchfulness; and when the plank had 

 been put out, they quickly availed themselves of it to 

 reach terra flrma, expressing freely their gratification 

 of that opportunity. The crowd upon the wharf 

 quickly boarded the boat on a tour of investigation, 

 and it required but a very few minutes for one and all 

 to understand something of the experience the vessel 

 had passed through. . . .' 



Capt. Mantcr's Story. 



We were detained at Wood's Holl until nearly half 

 past one waiting for the other boat, and then put out. 

 When nearly up to Cape Poge we had fine snow. 

 The weather was moderate and the wind east-north- 

 east, and I did not anticipate anything serious. We 

 made all our buoys, but after leaving Tuckernuck 

 shoal buoy the snow increased, and we were unable to 

 see ten feet ahead. Ban out our time to the bar, but 

 could not see the buoy; then tracked the bar to the 

 eastward about twenty minutes, but still no buoy; 

 came about and ran twenty minutes to the westward 

 with like result; and as night was coming on and the 

 wind increased to a strong breeze, decided to anchor, 



