THE WOUNDED SEA-BIRD. 
215 
We have just sufficient wind to move us slowly along, 
and we make for Albert Dirke’s Bay. There is a belt 
of ice off Grey Hook; through this we must pass. 
The wind causes a heavy swell to break upon its outer 
edge. We get the boats out and tow our poor wounded 
schooner towards a safe haven. The swell breaks 
heavily on the ice as we approach. We fear to drift 
broadside on—a disaster which would be fatal to us. 
Having this fear in view, we give way with might 
and main. It is a hard task we have undertaken ; 
but we go through with it without a murmur, and her 
head is kept steadily to the ice, although the current 
•is dead against her weight. As she rises to the top of 
the swell, she drags us astern, in spite of all our efforts 
to keep her headway. Our anxiety increases as we 
approach the danger, and our thoughts are divided 
between the leak and its effect and the coming 
struggle with the ice. The tough hands of the 
crew are blistered with their exertions before we got 
hold of the tail-end of the breeze, and worked into 
it. There our labour ceased. The schooner worked 
easily into Albert Dirke’s Bay ; there the ice occupied 
all the space, and we were forced to try Hecla Cove ; 
but before midnight we haul to the wind and beat up 
the Fiord. The wind blowing hard, we are forced to 
use the pumps all the time. 
