ent to rest, which, however, they had
not enjoyed for two hours, when, at four A.M. on the 21st, another
heavy mass coming violently in contact with the bergs and cables,
threatened to sweep away every remaining security. Our situation, with
this additional strain,--the mass which had disturbed us fixing itself
upon the weather-cable, and an increasing wind and swell setting
considerably on the shore,--became more and more precarious; and
indeed, under circumstances as critical as can well be imagined,
nothing but the urgency and importance of the object we had in
view--that of saving the Fury, if she was to be saved--could have
prevented my making sail, and keeping the Hecla under way till matters
mended. More hawsers were run out, however, and enabled us still to
hold out: and after six hours of disturbed rest, all hands were again
set to work to get the Fury's anchors, cables, rudder, and spars on
board, these things being absolutely necessary for her equipment,
should we be able to get her out. At two P.M. the crews were called on
board to dinner, which they had not finished, when several not very
large masses of ice drove along the shore near us at a quick rate, and
two or three successively coming in violent contact either with the
Hecla or the bergs to which she was attached, convinced me that very
little additional pressure would tear everything away, and drive both
ships on shore. I saw that the moment had arrived when the Hecla could
no longer be kept in her present situation with the smallest chance of
safety, and therefore immediately got under sail, despatching Captain
Hoppner, with every individual, except a few for working the ship, to
continue getting the things on board the Fury, while the Hecla stood
off and on. It was a quarter-past three P.M. when we cast off, the
wind then blowing fresh from the north-east, or about two points on
the land, which caused some surf on the beach. Captain Hoppner had
scarcely been an hour on board the Fury, and was busily engaged in
getting the anchors and cables on board, when we observed some large
pieces of not very heavy ice closing in with the land near her; and at
twenty minutes after the Hecla had cast off, I was informed, by
signal, that the Fury was on shore. Making a tack in shore, but not
being able, even under a press of canvass, to get very near her, owing
to a strong southerly current which prevailed within a mile or two of
the land, I perceived that she had