dertake, in the use of ice-tools, consisting of chisels, poles with
iron points, claws, lines, &c.

In a short time, the prospect of liberating the "Pioneer" was seen to
be farcical, and all the officers and men from the "Resolute" returned
to their ship, although parties of novices would walk down constantly
to see the first vessel beset in the ice.

A few birds playing about induced myself and some others to go out
shooting, a foggy night promising to be favourable to our larders. The
ice, however, was full of holes, and very decayed; in addition to which
it was in rapid motion in many places, from the action of wind and
tide. The risk of such sporting was well evinced in my gallant friend
M----'s case. He was on one side of a lane of water, and I on the
other: a bird called a "Burgomaster" flew over his head to seaward, and
he started in the direction it had gone. I and another shouted to warn
him of the ice being in rapid motion and very thin; he halted for a
moment, and then ran on, leaping from piece to piece. The fog at this
moment lifted a little, and most providentially so, for suddenly I saw
M---- make a leap and disappear--the ice had given way!--he soon rose,
but without his gun, and I then saw him scramble upon a piece of ice,
and on watching it, observed with a shudder that both he and it were
drifting to the northward, and away from us. Leaving my remaining
companion to keep sight of M----, and thus to point out the way on my
return, I retraced my steps to the "Pioneer," and with a couple of men,
a long hand-line, and boarding-pikes, started off in the direction
M---- was in.

I could tell my route pretty well by my companion's voice, which in
rich Milesian was giving utterance to encouraging exclamations of the
most original nature--"Keep up your courage, my boy!--Why don't you
come back?--Faith, I suppose it's water that won't let you!--There will
be some one there directly!--Hoy! hoy! ahoy! don't be down-hearted
anyway!" I laughed as I ran. My party placed themselves about ten yards
apart, the last man carrying the line, ready to heave, in case of the
leader breaking through. So weak was the ice that we had to keep at a
sharp trot to prevent the weight of our own bodies resting long on any
one spot; and when we sighted our friend M---- on his little piece of
firm ice, the very natural exclamation of one of my men was, "I wonder
how he ever reached it, sir?" M---- assisted us to approach him by
point