xxii INTRODUCTORY SKETCH OF [1821 



treme difficulty and not a little danger, through the ice, as far to the 

 eastward as Yankee Harbour. Before we reached this place, however, 

 being then about three miles from it, we became completely enclosed 

 in the centre of a vast field of ice ; and before we could rescue the 

 vessel from this unpleasant and perilous situation it came on to blow a 

 smart gale from the S.S.W., nearly dead on-shore. In the course of 

 two hours the violence of the wind had raised a heavy and dangerous 

 sea, which caused these large cakes of ice, about six feet in thickness, 

 to surge against the schooner with alarming force. This rendered 

 our situation extremely critical ; and we made several bold attempts 

 to force the vessel through the ice into clear water, which was now 

 only about three hundred yards from us. 



Convinced, at length, that our ice-bound schooner could not be made 

 to move without putting on her such a press of canvass as would, 

 almost to a certainty, carry away her masts, as the gale was increasing 

 every moment, Captain Johnson ordered the sails to be taken in, and 

 the boats to be prepared with provisions, muskets, ammunition, and 

 fireworks, — in order that we might haul them to the shore over the 

 ice, in case of the last extremity, — as there was every prospect of the 

 schooner's going to pieces if she continued much longer in her present 

 dangerous situation. But by the time the boats were in readiness the 

 crew had become completely disheartened, — the mildest prospect be- 

 fore them being that of perishing with the cold on the ice, if they 

 escaped a watery grave ! 



At this juncture of affairs Captain Johnson, myself, and brother 

 held a consultation, which resulted in a determination to force the ves- 

 sel through the ice, at the hazard of her masts. Should we remain 

 much longer where we were, our fate was inevitable ; and we could but 

 perish at last, if the masts went by the board. It was a desperate 

 alternative ; but possibly it might prove successful. Captain Johnson 

 gave the word, and I sprang forward to see it executed. 



H All hands, ahoy ! to make sail !" I exclaimed, and the crew were 

 instantly in readiness. " My brave lads," I continued, " you all see 

 our danger, and must exert yourselves to escape it. Active obedience 

 and manly presence of mind can now alone save us. I know you too 

 well to doubt your skill and courage. Cheer up, my hearties, and ex- 

 ert yourselves like men in making sail to save the vessel and your 

 lives. Let us give the little Wasp all her canvass, and she will either 

 carry us safely out of this perilous situation, or lose her limbs in the 

 attempt." 



This brief exhortation had the desired effect. Every man sprang 

 to his duty with renovated cheerfulness and alacrity ; and in a few 

 minutes all the heavy canvass in the vessel was spread to the gale. 

 Such is the salutary influence of a little seasonable excitement on 

 desponding minds. 



Our little bark vainly struggled for about fifteen minutes, the 

 masts yielding to the unwonted pressure as far as the shrouds and 

 backstays would permit. On the strength of this cordage our redemp- 

 tion now depended. We watched her motion with an almost breath- 

 less anxiety. At length we perceived that she began to move, at the 



