ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 321 



were now again run out in hopes of relieving her from some of the 

 strain ; a short time afterwards the ice clearing from the stern enabled 

 them to unship the rudder, which was taken on board in two pieces : 

 it was immediately placed on the quarter-deck, and all the carpenters 

 employed on it. 



It soon began to snow violently, and no clear sea could be seen 

 from the ship in any direction. It becoming dark, the chance was 

 that they would have to take up their last abode there. About six 

 o'clock the weather cleared a little, and the wind freshened ; they 

 parted the hawser attached to the ice-anchor, and made sail again for 

 the clear sea, which could now be seen from the masthead. Towards 

 8 p. m., as if to blast the little hope that the continuance of clear 

 weather inspired, the ship took a wrong cant, and was forced into a 

 small opening leading farther into the ice to leeward, and towards the 

 massive walls of the berg. Great exertions were made, and fortu- 

 nately, by the aid of the ice-anchors and sails, they succeeded in 

 getting her round, and her head again pointed towards the clear sea ; 

 but they were shortly afterwards wedged in between two large masses 

 of ice. At midnight the sea was observed to rise, although the wind 

 had not increased, causing much motion among the ice; and the 

 stormy appearance of the sky continued, and gave promise of a gale. 

 The only hope left was to force the ship through, and every means 

 were employed to effect this object. The ice they had now to 

 contend with was of larger dimensions, and the increased sea ren- 

 dered it doubly dangerous. Some of the shocks against it were so 

 heavy as to excite fears that the ship's bows would be driven in, and 

 on one occasion three of the chronometers were thrown out of their 

 beds of sawdust upon their sides. They continued to make but little 

 headway, and the grinding and thumping on the ship was most 

 painful. The hope of extricating her lessened every moment; for 

 the quantity of ice between them and the sea was increasing, and 

 the ship evidently moved with it to leeward. Few situations could 

 be more trying, but the emergency was met by Captain Hudson with 

 a coolness, perseverance, and presence of mind which secured the 

 admiration of all who were present, and inspired full confidence and 

 a firm reliance in his ability to overcome every difficulty that lay 

 within the power of human means. 



In the afternoon of the 25th, the sea continued to increase, and the 

 ship frequently struck against the masses of ice, while every foot 

 they forged ahead carried them seemingly into a more precarious 



VOL. II. 81 



