APP. N* V.] OF THE SHIP HERCULES. 
447 
George broke adrift, and drove to the WSW. under bare 
poles, it blowing too hard to set canvas. But, blowing as 
it did, bad our people been on board, and the ship clear, 
I would have cast off and gone along with him, for the 
wind was along the floe, and a heavy surge set in on the 
edge of it, so that our situation was not one of the safest. 
We soon, however, bad smooth water, in consequence of 
the ice setting toward us, and in a short time were beset. 
At 1 r. m. the gale rather abated, and the weather was 
more clear. We now got sight of our absent people upon 
the floe to leeward, who were almost exhausted with hun¬ 
ger and cold. One of them, indeed, had entirely lost the 
use of every faculty, both of body and mind, but he happi¬ 
ly recovered, and all the rest got well again. In the after¬ 
noon the weather was more clear, and I saw the King 
George about ten miles to the SW. apparently beset as we 
were. There appeared to he a great body of ice within 
us and the land. It was evident we had drifted a great 
way to the southward, for, by the appearance of the land, 
we were fifteen or eighteen miles from the place where the 
fish was struck. This space appeared to be entirely cover¬ 
ed with a compact mass of ice. There was much water in 
sight, however, to the SSE., which had a good effect in 
keeping up the spirits of the people. We lay fast beset all 
night, which was dark and gloomy. 
We dues day, Sept. 4.—In the morning we had moderate 
ENE. winds and sleet. In the afternoon, being fine clear wea¬ 
ther, I sent two boats and crews away in search of the boat 
and lines that were to leeward of the floe. At 4 r. at. the 
ice slacked, and enabled us to get under-way, and to get 
out into sailing ice. The King George was likewise un¬ 
der-way at the same time, standing to .the. SE., and appa- 
