mewhat
abated.

Great as had been the difficulties they had encountered in their
passage from the Proserpine to Newark Island, the dangers of their
present expedition, over sand and ice, were nearly as formidable. At
one part of their journey they found themselves on the banks of a
river. The guides had assured them it was only a very narrow stream,
and would most probably be frozen over: it proved, however, to be a
river of considerable width; the ice was broken and floating upon it
in large masses; the tide, too, was rising, and altogether the passage
presented a formidable appearance. There was little time for
deliberation, so the word was given to push forward, and the next
moment they were up to their waists in the water, struggling against
the tide and the large flakes of ice, which swept against them with
such force that they had great difficulty in keeping their footing.

But through the mercy of Providence they all reached the opposite bank
in safety, and before evening they arrived at Cuxhaven, without the
loss of a single man. Many of them were more or less frost-bitten, but
by rubbing the parts affected with snow, circulation was restored.

We must now return to Captain Wallis and the officers and men who had
remained with him at Newark, in hopes of being able to save some of
the stores from the frigate.

On Friday, the 8th, Mr. Anthony, the master, volunteered with a party
to endeavour to ascertain the state of the vessel, and if possible to
bring away some bread, of which they were in much need.

They had great difficulty in reaching the ship, which they found lying
on her beam ends, with seven feet and a half of water in her hold,
having her quarter-deck separated six feet from her gangway, and
apparently only-kept together by the vast quantity of ice which
surrounded her.

From this report, it was deemed unadvisable to make any more
expeditions to the ship; but on the 10th, the clearness of the day
induced Mr. Anthony, in company with the surgeon, a midshipman, the
boatswain, and two seamen, to go off a second time.

Those who remained at Newark anxiously expected the return of the
party, but they came not. Evening advanced, the tide was flowing, and
at last it was too late for them to cross the sands and ice till the
next ebb. The watchers were obliged to content themselves with the
hope that Mr. Anthony and his party had found it safe and practicable
to remain on board the frigate till morning