ed to
leave her. The people were once more quite exhausted by these
exertions, especially those belonging to the Fury, who had never
thoroughly recovered their first fatigues. The ice being barely in
sight, we were enabled to enjoy seven hours of undisturbed rest; but
the wind becoming light, and afterwards shifting to the N.N.E., we had
reason to expect the ice would soon close the shore, and were,
therefore, most anxious to continue our work.

'On the 20th, therefore, the re-loading 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
re-equipment; 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 someplace of security. At the same time, the end of
the sea-cable was taken on board the Fury, by way of offering some
resistance to the ice, which was now more plainly seen, though still
about five miles distant. 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. In the course of the
day several heavy masses of ice came drifting by with a breeze from
the north-east, which is here about two points upon the land, and made
a considerable swell. One mass came in contact with our bergs, which,
though only held by the cables, brought it up in time to prevent
mischief. By a long and hard day's labour, the people not going to
rest till two o'clock on the morning of the 21st, we got about fifty
tons weight of coals and provisions on board the Fury, which, in case
of necessity, we considered sufficient to give her stability.

'While we were thus employed, the ice, though evidently inclined to
come in, did not approach us much; and it may be conceived with what
anxiety we longed to be allowed one more day's labour, on which the
ultimate saving of the ship might almost be considered as depending.
Having hauled the ships out a little from the shore, and prepared the
Hecla for casting by a spring at a moment's notice, all the people
except those at the pumps were s