408 
UNDER WEIGH. 
but our keel probably received its shock at the same 
time that we received our elevation. We have es- 
caped wonderfully. 
'"''June 8, Sunday. Even keel again!! Once more 
floating ship-fashion, in a ship's element. It was be- 
tween twelve and one o'clock this morning. Mur- 
daugh went down upon the fragment, which was still 
adhering to our starboard side. He had hardly rested 
his weight upon it, when, with certain hurried, scarce- 
ly premonitory grindings, it cleared itself. He had 
barely time to scramble up the brig's side, tearing his 
nails in the effort, before, with crash and turmoil, it 
tumbled up to the surface, letting us down once more 
into clear water. When I reached the deck, I could 
hardly realize the level, horizontal condition of things, 
we have been accustomed to this up and down hill 
work so long. 
" 9 P.M. At 1 o'clock P.M. the w4nd freshened from 
the northward, enough to make sail. We cast off, and 
renewed the old times process of boring, standing ir- 
regularly among the fragments to the southward and 
eastward. We received some heavy bumps, but kept 
under weigh until 6 P.M., when an impenetrable ice- 
fog caused us to haul up to a heavy floe, to which we 
are now fast by three anchors. We estimate our prog- 
ress at six miles. The Rescue is not visible. 
" From the heavy floe to which we are secured we 
obtained fresh thawed water. This is the first time 
since the 15th of September that I have drunk water 
liquefied without fire. Eight months and twenty-four 
days : think of that, dear strawberry and cream eating 
family ! 
" We saw an ice-floe to-day, which had evidently 
come from the upper northern regions of Wellington, 
