near me, to the
deck with stunning force. Shrieks and cries arose from every part of
the ship; and the watch below, in their consternation, came hurrying up
on deck, many without their clothes, others with them in their hands.
All was dismay and confusion; while the terrific noise of the wind, and
the sea dashing over the ship, and the ship striking against the iceberg
(for an iceberg it was in truth against which we had struck), added to
the cries of the people, the groans of the ship, and the creaking and
crashing of the masts, almost drowned the voices of the officers, who
were rushing here and there as they came from their cabins, in a vain
endeavour to restore order. Many of the people in their fright sprung
overboard, and were instantly swallowed up by the waves. The ship rose
and fell with tremendous force as the sea lifted her, and the loud
crashing forward showed that her strong bows had been stove in. The
fore-mast went by the board, the heel probably lifted right out of its
step. Then a terrific cry arose that the ship was sinking, and that all
was lost.

The sergeant of marines, a rigid disciplinarian, had at the first alarm
collected his men, and by the command of the captain brought them, with
their arms in their hands, on the quarter-deck, ready to enforce his
orders. No sooner was the cry raised that all was lost, than many
rushed forward, with the intention of getting on the iceberg.

"Let no man quit the ship," shouted the captain through his
speaking-trumpet. "Beat to quarters, marines; fire on any who attempt
to leave the deck."

Andrew Thompson, O'Connor, and Stokes were close to me, just abreast of
the fore-mast. Andrew looked round when he heard the bows of the ship
being stove in. "My lads," he exclaimed to us three, "the ship won't be
many minutes more above water; so if you'd have a chance for your lives,
follow me."

This he said just as the captain had ordered the marines to fire on any
who should quit the ship. We did not stop to see whether they would
obey or not, but, jumping on the forecastle, ran along the bowsprit and
down by the dolphin-striker--a spar which hangs perpendicularly under
the bowsprit--from whence we dropped down one by one on to a part of the
iceberg which the waves did not reach. The ice was very rough, and we
were thus enabled to scramble up perfectly clear of the sea.

Several others attempted to follow our example; and the marines, even at
that awful