390 THE ANTARCTIC MANUAL. 
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 endeavouring to execute the 
order to furl, got on the lee-yardarm, and the sail having blown over 
the yard, prevented his return. 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 with several men sent 
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. Several of the best men were completely exhausted 
with cold, fatigue, and excitement, 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 weather 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 just been passed to leeward: so we dashed on, ex- 
pecting 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 leeward of one of these huge islands, that our trysails were almost 
thrown back by the eddy wind; the helm was put up to pay the ship 
off, but the proximity of those under our lee bade me keep my course. 
All was now still except 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 hit upon a clear passage between two large ice- 
islands, which in fine weather we should not dare to have ventured 
through. The suspense endured while making our way between them 
was intense, but of short duration; and my spirits rose as I heard the 
whistling of the gale grow louder and louder before us, as we emerged 
from the passage. We had escaped an awful death, and were again 
tempest-tost. 
We encountered many similar dangers that night; at 4.30 am. 
I found we had reached the small open space laid down on my chart, 
and at 5 o’clock I hove-to the ship. I had been under intense excite- 
ment, and had not been off the deck for nine hours, and was now 
thankful to the Providence that had guided, watched over, and pre- 
served us. Until 7 a.m. all hands were on deck: when there was 
some appearance of the weather moderating they were piped down. 
