CHAP. XIV. LABORIOUS EFFORTS TO WORK THROUGH SOME HEAVY ING TO BREAK THE BARRIER. STEAMERS IN ATTEMPT BLASTING THE ICE. PROCEED. CLEARER MIDNIGHT SUN, THE ARCTIC FLEET, AND CAPE MELVILLE. THE weather for the remainder of the day was very thick and foggy, insomuch that we could hardly see two ships' length ahead. In the afternoon I walked around and over the nip in our way north of us; and, to my vexation, found it would not be likely to open soon; or, if it did, it was rather too dangerous a passage to attempt forcing the vessel through. Accordingly, in a clearer interval, when the fog lifted for a few moments, I went aloft to the "nest," and with the second mate carefully examined the neighbourhood around. To the westward of us we fancied we could perceive a lead, which would take us by a circuitous route towards Captain Austin's N ships; but the fog again settled down, and we could not positively determine. I descended to the deck, and felt nervously anxious. If we could not extricate ourselves this day in time to reach the other vessels, we should undoubtedly lose the probability of their giving us a tow. Knowing the men were fatigued, I asked Captain Forsyth to let me have the dingey, and take it away to examine the ice. He at once consented, though, as he said, with some doubt concerning the heavy fog, which might cause us to miss our way back. However, off I went, accompanied only by John Smith, the steward, who was an excellent boatman. We both pulled hard towards the direction in which I thought a lead would be found. The first impediment we met with, was where two heavy sconce pieces joined and formed a nip. This I saw could, with a little trouble, be removed; so hauling our boat upon the ice, and dragging it across to more water, we again launched it and proceeded. For about half an hour we pulled on without interruption, and by the circular course we took I felt assured, though the fog prevented my seeing any great distance, that this was the lead we wanted, and was what the second mate and I had observed. Accordingly, we returned to the ship, and I at once reported to the captain what I had found, and what I thought EFFORTS TO WORK THROUGH THE ICE. 179 we could do if done at once. He immediately despatched the mate, who, as ice-master, could best judge, to see what he thought of it. Taking two men with him he started; and returned in less than an hour, stating that we could no doubt get through, but it would be better to wait awhile. Wait awhile, indeed! when every moment was precious to us, if we wished to get a tow, and so make way on our voyage to that part whither we were bound. Captain Forsyth, however, very judiciously saw through this waiting system, even as I had long before seen through it; and accordingly turned the hands up to get the ship on again. This was about ten P. M., and as it was owing to my suggestion that the attempt was to be made, I felt it incumbent on me to make the passage as clear as possible. Accordingly, I obtained permission to take a few men with me on to the ice where the nip was, and to remove the pieces that were there in the way. Axes, chisels, poles, &c. were again freely used; and, in a short time, the labours of the men, who worked with the most determined will, were successful, and we had the place clear, with the exception of one piece, which was ready to push out the moment the vessel's bow entered. But by some mismovement she sided up to the nip, instead of coming down upon it from to windward bows on; and, the consequence was, that she gathered before her all the loose pieces, jamming them right in where we had been removing others. The principal difficulty was under her bows, where existed a great number of obstacles in the shape of huge lumps of ice that prevented her moving. I had previously thrown off my jacket to work more freely in my shirt sleeves; and, now, with perspiration streaming down me I jumped, with a couple of men, on to the pieces, half under water, that were crushing against the vessel's stem. Clinging to the bobstay or any standing rope that was about the bowsprit *, we all three with all the force we could apply, and up to our knees in water, began pushing aside these obstacles. We were enabled to clear some; but others required longer time, and Captain Forsyth deemed it best that the effort should be renewed at a later period. Accordingly, all hands were called on board; and, with much vexation, I walked to the vessel's side, after again looking at the nip. While springing into the forechains from the edge of the floe, the ice gave way under me, and I was instantly up to my neck in water, and should have been completely under, but for a rope that fortunately hung over the ship's *It must be remembered that our bowsprit was a "running" one, and did not, owing to the vessel's size, stand above five or six feet above the level of the water. COME UP WITH CAPT. AUSTIN'S SHIPS. 181 side. This I laid hold of; and, with the aid of two or three hands, who instantly rushed to my assistance, I was fairly pulled on board, with no harm done save having to change my dress from top to toe. I was very much annoyed to think we had not got through, and so was Captain Forsyth; and, I must confess, I forgot myself so far as to speak very reproachfully about it to the mate, to whom we attributed our failure. Monday 12th. It was past midnight when I retired to rest; and on awaking at six A. M. I found the vessel had been taken through the very passage we had laboured at, and in precisely the way she should have been. It was at two o'clock when this was done, the fog having lifted, and made it perfectly clear that there was a lead as I had stated. When I went on deck I found the vessel working to windward in a moderate breeze; and at eight A. M. we closed upon Captain Austin's ships, which had got through a passage, and were then fast to the floe, preparing to start again. The screws had got their steam up, and as we neared the "Assistance" we were hailed; and, as I had expected, offered a tow, the same being given to the "Felix." We were just in time; for had we not been seen coming on towards them they must have started without us. An hour later would have lost us the three hundred |