3 io SIEGE OF THE SOUTH POLE 
and with the assistance of the sails she answered it very 
well. We were immediately rushing past an enormous 
berg, the ship being perfectly covered with the foam 
caused by the sea breaking against it. Every moment we 
were expecting the ship to strike ice right ahead. ‘ Hard- 
a-port’ was screamed out from forward (then indeed 
hope died within us) ; ‘ Hard-a-port ; brace round the 
head-yards.’ ‘ Shiver the main top-sail,’ cried the Cap- 
tain, as if he were steering into any harbour. The men 
flew to the ropes, although I should think at that moment 
that there was not one on board but thought all hope was 
fled. She came round, and passed through an opening 
between two bergs not twice the breadth of the ship, the 
foam and spray dashing over us on each side as we 
passed. Several other alarms were given owing to the 
brash (small stuff washed from the bergs) looking like 
more bergs in the darkness, but we were safe, but did 
not know it. The next cry was ‘Where’s the Erebus?’ 
— our own danger had made us entirely forget her for 
the time. All eyes were immediately straining through 
the gloom to find her. We burnt a blue light, and soon 
after had the happiness of seeing her burn one which we 
immediately answered; we knew then that she was safe, 
which with her losses we never expected. We then lay-to, 
anxiously waiting for daylight to find the extent of her 
damages. As soon as it could be distinguished she made 
the signal that : ‘ All was well, and that they could repair 
all their damages.’ We answered : ‘ Thank God, we are 
the same.’ ... We might go a thousand times 
more to the South Pole without experiencing one-half the 
dangers we have this time. The following diagram may 
give you an idea of our situation, in which the arrow 
denotes the direction of the wind; the red the Terror, 
