THE NARRATIVE OF CHARLES WILKES. 377 
of approaching the land, they at 5 a.m. passed through drift-ice into an 
open space, and when they had again approached the field, hove-to for 
the purpose of sounding. Here bottom was found at the depth of 800 
fathoms, and the matter brought up was similar to that obtained the 
day before. The distance between the points where these two soundings 
were obtained was but short. 
At 8.80 a.m., while attempting to box off the ship from some ice 
under the bow she made a stern-board, which brought the stern so 
forcibly in contact with another mass of ice that it seemed from the 
shock as if it were entirely stove in; the rudder was so much canted 
from its position as to carry away the starboard wheel-rope, and to 
wrench the neck of the rudder itself in such a manner as to render it 
unserviceable, or even worse than useless. In hopes of lessening the 
difficulty, relieving tackles were applied to the tiller, but without effect, 
for it was discovered that the rudder had been so far twisted as to make 
a considerable angle with the keel, and every exertion to move it proved 
ineffectual. 
All hands were now called, and every officer and man was speedily 
at his station. The ship was found to be rapidly entering the ice, and 
every effort to direct her course by the management of the sails proved 
fruitless. In this helpless condition scarcely a moment passed without 
a new shock in some quarter or other from the ice, and every blow 
threatened instant destruction. The hope was not yet abandoned that 
some temporary expedient might be found to bring the rudder again 
into use, until they should be extricated from this perilous situation. A 
stage was, therefore, rigged over the stern, for the purpose of examining 
into its state, but it was found to be so much injured that it was im- 
possible to remedy its defects while in its place, and preparations were 
forthwith made for unshipping it. In the meantime the position of the 
vessel was every instant growing worse, surrounded as she was by 
masses of floe-ice, and driving further and further into it, towards an 
immense wall-sided iceberg. All attempts to get the vessel on the other 
tack failed, in consequence of her being so closely encompassed, and it 
was therefore thought expedient to attempt to bring her head round, by 
hanging her to an iceberg by the ice-anchors, and thus complete what 
had been partially effected by the sails. The anchor was attached, but 
just at the moment the hawser was passed on board the ship took a 
start so suddenly astern that the rope was literally dragged out of the 
men’s hands before they could get a turn around the bits. 
The ship now drove stern foremost into the midst of the huge masses 
of ice, striking the rudder a second time. This blow gave the finishing 
stroke by nearly wringing off the head, breaking two of the pintles, and 
the upper and lower brace. 
The wind now began to freshen and the floe-ice to set upon the ship ; 
the sails were furled, and spars rigged up and down the ship’s side as 
