on t' floe, and though
they got aboard another vessel, us thought 'em was lost. While us
sailed about looking for 'em, us lost most o' t' pans. So round t'
beginning of April t' skipper, in company with a score of other
schooners, put her for the Norrard, in hopes of cutting off some of t'
old seals in t' swatches. T' slob being very heavy outside, us lay for
inside Belle Isle, and carried open water most across t' Straits.
Well, sir, t' wind veered round all of a sudden, just as us was abeam
of t' Devil's Table, and t' Gulf ice came out of t' Straits fair
roaring"--and Uncle Rube took another contemplative puff at his pipe.

"It would have been all right if only t' big field had gone off t'
same time before t' wind. But somehow there were a big block held up
by t' Islands, and t' western ice just came and hit it clip! It must
have been all up with us right there but for t' northeast current, and
that took our vessel like a nutshell and whisked her away in t' heavy
slob as if to carry her along the Labrador coast. But it proved us was
not far enough off t' land, for just about midday t' Red Islands come
up like dark specks out o' t' ice--right ahead t' way we was being
driven. T' other schooners was caught in t' jam too and drifting with
us, little black dots scattered over t' surface of t' ice field like
t' currants in slices of sweet white loaf.

"I believe our skipper knowed it were no good, just as soon as t'
watch called him to see for hisself. But he made out as if there was
nothing to it, and ordered all hands to be ready to take t' ice, as
though 't was a patch o' swiles instead of rocks ahead. But when he
started getting up grub, and canvas, and all sorts of things, and had
us put 'em in t' boats, us knew it were no old harps he was thinking
of.

"Well, sir, it seemed as if it had to be. The old Manxman went as fair
for them reefs as if she was being hauled there with a capstan. It was
fair uncanny, and I believes there be more in some one driving her
there than most people 'lows. Anyhow, tied up as us was in t' heavy
jam, right fair towards 'em she had to go, and then on to 'em, and up
over t' reef as if us 'd laid t' course express for 'em, while every
other vessel round us went clear. T' reef's about five feet out o'
water at high springs, and about ten feet over surface on t' neaps.
Springs it was that day, t' moon being nearly full, and t' first crack
ripped t' bottom clean out o' t' old ship. Us all h