LIFE OE DEATH? 



tery attacked us, and it appeared as if one of our men would 

 die. 



The ice had been all the while forming, rendering it more 

 and more difficult to launch or get ashore. Our frail canoes 

 were badly battered, and often were brokeu through by the 

 ice; and the low character of the coast had not improved. 

 Still with hollow cheeks and enfeebled strength we struggled 

 on, som^etimes making fair progress and at others very little, 

 until on October the 14th, as we advanced, the ice became 

 so heavT, and extended so far out to sea, that in order to 

 clear it we had to go quite out of sight of land. 



Towards evening we began to look about for some oppor- 

 tunity of going ashore, but nothing could be seen before us 

 but a vast field of ice, with occasional protruding boulders. 

 We pushed on, hoping to find some bluff, point or channel of 

 water by which we might reach the shore, but the appearance 

 of things did not change in the slightest. We stood up in the 

 canoes or climbed upon boulders, vainly hoping to at least 

 get a glimpse of the land. Of course, we knew the direction 

 in which the shore lay, but it was so low, and we were so far 

 out, that it was beyond our view. 



Soon the shades of night began to fall about us, our canoes 

 were leaking badly, and the weather was bitterly cold. 

 Failing to reach the shore, we resolved to wait for high tide, 

 about ten o'clock, hoping we might with it do better. The tide 

 came, but left us still in the same condition, no more able to 

 penetrate the ice or gain the shore than before. It had become 

 intensely dark, and we were in great danger of being smashed 

 on the ice or rocks. We were utterly helpless and could do 

 nothing but remain where we were, or go where the tide 

 chose to carry us, until the return of daylight. 



The hours of that night were the longest I have ever ex- 

 perienced, and the odds seemed to be against our. surviving 

 until morning; but at last the day returned and found us 

 still alive. My brother was nearly frozen, having been 



187 



