60 



SURROUNDED BY ICE-ISLANDS. 



[1822. 



ing ice, from which arose, in almost every direction, elevated islands, 

 or rather floating mountains, of the same glittering material. Our 

 situation now was extremely perilous, while the prospect around us 

 was at once appalling, sublime, and beautiful. All that we have ever 

 read of fairy palaces, and castles with towers of crystal, surmounted 

 by turrets and minarets of the whitest silver, may furnish some idea 

 of the scene of treacherous brilliancy which now surrounded us. The 

 morning sun shone upon them obliquely, and their irregular sides re- 

 flected its rays in a variety of gay colours ; but we were not so much 

 dazzled by their beauty as alarmed at their proximity, as large masses 

 of ice and snow were frequently falling from their summits with a tre- 

 mendous crash on the field-ice below, of magnitude and weight suffi- 

 cient to sink a ship of the largest size, should such a one unfortunately 

 be found in the line of its descent. Happily for us, it was nearly 

 calm. 



December I4tk. — The morning sun of Saturday rose upon the same 

 scene of danger and sublimity which surrounded us the day before ; 

 and which his first beam lighted up into its former beauty and splen- 

 dour. This soon received an additional charm from the presence of a 

 vast number of sea birds ; among which we recognised the albatross, 

 Nelly, sea-hen, Port Egmont hen, white pigeon, blue petrel, ice-birds, 

 and penguins. Perceiving the water to be much discoloured in the 

 openings between the ice, we tried for soundings ; but found no bottom 

 with one hundred and twenty fathoms of line. A great number of 

 right whales, fin-backs, and porpoises showed themselves in the clear 

 water beyond the margin of the crystal field in which we were detained, 

 and it is needless to add that we envied them their situation and liberty. 

 The weather was still mild and pleasant ; but we knew not at what 

 moment it might change its aspect. It has been justly observed that 

 " a combination of thick weather, a strong gale of wind, and a tem- 

 pestuous sea, crowded with detached pieces of ice, each of which is 

 enveloped in a thick spray raised by the dashing of the waves, presents 

 one of the most terrific navigations that can be conceived." Had a 

 gale of wind arisen in our situation, our navigation would have been 

 still more terrific, owing to the ice-islands around us. 



December 15th. — On the following morning, which was Sunday, our 

 prospect of liberation was somewhat brightened, as the vast sheets of 

 ice which for two days had evinced such a tendency to adhere together 

 as to keep our vessel wedged in between them, began to separate a 

 little.* Taking advantage of this favourable circumstance we made 

 every exertion to free ourselves from a situation that was far from be- 

 ing enviable. These exertions were at length crowned with success ; 

 so that at four, P. M., we found ourselves once more in clear water, 

 when we could gaze back upon the scene of danger, and congratulate 

 ourselves on the providential escape. The vessel had suffered but 



< * u A tendency to separation always takes place in the drift during a calm. It frequently happens 

 that a ship is completely beset, and unable to move in any direction ; and next day, without appa- 

 rent cause, the ice is totally dispersed, and an open sea presented on every side. A sheet of ice a 

 few inches in thickness is sufficient to render a ship immoveable. If, under these circumstances, it is 

 too strong to be broken by a boat, recourse is sometimes had to the laborious operation of sawing it.' 

 ~~Edin. Enc. art. Ice. 



