to persuade them
that the ship still swam buoyant, that I hoped the leak was stopped,
and that we might proceed on our voyage; but this was unavailing. When
I saw myself unable to prevail thus, I desired them to row up and set
me on that part of the ice next the ship, whence I should walk to her,
and die with my commander.

This being unanimously agreed to, we rowed to the ice; but when we
reached it, I was loth to go out. However, on calling the captain to
us, Mr. John Maddick came first, and after him the doctor and some
others, which the captain perceiving, came also.

The captain having left the ship, the multitude crowded so eagerly
after him that we had like to have spoiled all; but by chance the boat
was got off, with twenty-one people in her and hanging to her sides.
Some were forced to slip; others perished on the ice, not being able
to return to the ship, where the rest were lost.

On the 25th of March we took a miserable farewell of our distressed
brethren, the heart of every one being so overloaded with his own
misery as to have little room to pity another. Next, on considering
what course to follow, we resolved to make for the shore.

Our only provision was a small barrel of flour, and a five gallon
rundlet of brandy, which had been thrown overboard, and was taken up
by us. We also took up an old chest, which stood us in good stead, for
having but one oar, and our ship's handspikes, and a hatchet being by
chance in the boat, we could split the chest, and nail it to the
handspikes, which were our oars. Nails we had only, by drawing them
from different parts of the boat; and the rest of the chest was used
to kindle a fire. It also happened that our main tarpaulin, which had
been newly tarred, was put into the boat. Of it we made a main-sail;
and of an old piece of canvas, that had been a sail to a yawl, we made
a fore-sail. In this condition we turned towards the shore, and
observing the surrounding ice lie north and south, we steered north,
and in the morning were clear of it.

Having now got into the ocean, and the wind being still easterly, we
hoisted our sail, and steered west-north-west about fourteen leagues,
when we fell in with another field of ice. Attempting to sail through
it, we were enclosed by many great islands, which drove so fast
together, that we were forced to haul up our boat on the ice,
otherwise we should have perished.

Here we lay eleven days without once seeing the sea. As the