te labour we got her once more shored up; but to drive her
towards the element on which we intended her to float, was another
affair.

At last we thought that we had succeeded. If we could but move her a
few more feet she would be on the ice. Once more she glided on; but on
reaching the ice the impetus she acquired was so great that the shores
gave way, and with greater force than before she fell over on her side,
and in spite of the stout timbers and thick planking, from the
imperfection of our workmanship she was fairly bilged.

We were most of us differently affected. Some gave way to despair, and
uttered imprecations on their ill-luck, as they called it--others
actually wept with grief--while Andrew looked on with calm composure.

"Mates," he said, turning to those who were loudest in their impious
expressions of discontent, "I have always said that everything happens
for the best; and in this case, depend upon it, we shall find it so.
From the damage our vessel has suffered from the slight shock she
received, it is clear she could not for a moment have withstood a common
nip; and let me ask you, is it not better to remain here even for
another year till a ship takes us off, than to be thrown on a sudden on
a floe, with only our whale-boat to preserve us, and perhaps without
time to save our clothes or provisions? Let us, rather than be
discontented, believe that God, in this as in everything else, has
ordered all for our good."

The calm confident tone in which Andrew spoke had a great effect on his
hearers, and not another word of complaint was uttered. While we were
at work, we had not noticed that a breeze had sprung up. One by one we
were retiring to our hut, when on looking seaward I observed that the
whole surface of the ocean was broken into crisp waves; and glancing my
eyes to the northward, there I beheld what no seaman could doubt for a
moment were the topgallant-sails of a large ship.

I rushed into the hut where my companions were sitting, most of them
with their heads sunk between their knees, brooding on our misfortune,
except Andrew, who stood with his arms folded, meditating on our future
plans, and asking assistance whence alone assistance could be given.

"A sail! a sail!" I exclaimed. My voice aroused them from their
lethargy. They looked at my countenance, and seeing that I was in
earnest, like madmen they rushed from the hut. Every eye was turned
towards the point I indicated.