THE COOK DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF. 
219 
the blow on her stem, ancl not on the bluff of the bow; 
while all hands, armed with spars and fenders, rushed 
forward to ease off the shock. And here I feel it just 
to pay a tribute of admiration to the cook, who on these 
occasions never failed to exhibit an immense amount 
of misdirected energy, breaking—I remember,—at the 
same moment, both the cabin sky-liglit and an oar, in 
single combat with a large berg that was doing no 
particular harm to us, but against which he seemed 
suddenly to have conceived a violent spite. Luckily 
a considerable quantity of snow overlay the ice, which 
—acting as a buffer, in some measure mitigated the 
violence of the concussion; while the very fragility of 
her build diminishing the momentum, proved in the 
end the little schooner’s greatest security. Nevertheless, 
I must confess that more than once, while leaning 
forward in expectation of the scrunch I knew must 
come, I have caught myself half murmuring to the 
fair face that seemed to gaze so serenely at the cold 
white mass we were approaching: “ O Lady, is it not 
now fit thou sliouldest befriend the good ship of which 
thou art the pride ? ” 
At last, after having received two or three pretty 
