troyed the bergs on which our sole dependance
was placed, that they no longer remained aground at low water; the
cables had again become slack about them, and the basin we had taken so
much pains in forming had now lost all its defences, at least during a
portion of every tide. After a night of most anxious consideration and
consultation with Captain Hoppner, who was now my messmate in the Hecla,
it appeared but too plain that, should the ice again come in, neither
ship could any longer be secured from driving on shore. It was therefore
determined instantly to prepare the Hecla for sea, making her thoroughly
effective in every respect; so that we might at least push _her_ out
into comparative safety among the ice when it closed again, taking every
person on board her, securing the Fury in the best manner we could, and
returning to her the instant we were able to do so, to endeavour to get
her out, and to carry her to some place of security for heaving down.
If, after the Hecla was ready, time should still be allowed us, it was
proposed immediately to put into the Fury all that was requisite, or, at
least, as much as she could safely carry, and, towing her out into the
ice, to try the effect of "foddering" the leaks by sails under those
parts of her keel which we knew to be damaged, until some more effectual
means could be resorted to.

Having communicated to the assembled officers and ships' companies my
views and intentions, we commenced our work; and such was the hearty
good-will and indefatigable energy with which it was carried on, that by
midnight the whole was accomplished.

On the 20th, therefore, the reloading of the Fury commenced with
recruited strength and spirits, such articles being in the first place
selected for putting on board as were essentially requisite for her
reequipment; for it was my full determination, could we succeed in
completing this, not to wait even for rigging a topmast, or getting a
lower yard up, in the event of the ice coming in, but to tow her out
among the ice, and there put everything sufficiently to rights for
carrying her to some place of security. A few hands were also spared,
consisting chiefly of two or three convalescents, and some of the
officers, to thrum a sail for putting under the Fury's keel; for we were
very anxious to relieve the men at the pumps, which constantly required
the labour of eight to twelve hands to keep her free. By a long and hard
day's labour, the peopl