bows froze almost as soon as it wet us. I do
suppose, sir, there are now several tons of ice on our bows, counting from
channel to channel, forward."

On an examination this proved to be true, and the knowledge of the
circumstance did not at all contribute to Gardiner's feeling of security.
He saw there was no time to be lost, and he crowded sail with a view of
forcing the vessel past the dangers if possible, and of getting her into a
milder climate. But even a fast-sailing schooner will scarcely equal our
wishes under such circumstances. There was no doubt that the Sea Lion's
speed was getting to be affected by the manner in which her bows were
weighed down by ice, in addition to the discomfort produced by cold, damp,
and the presence of a slippery substance on the deck and rigging.
Fortunately there was not much spray flying, or matters would have been
much worse. As it was, they were bad enough, and very ominous of future
evil.

While the Sea Lion of Oyster Pond was running along the margin of the ice
in the manner just described, and after the blink to the westward had
changed to a visible field, making it very uncertain whether any egress
was to be found in that quarter or not, an opening suddenly appeared
trending to the northward, and sufficiently wide, as Roswell thought, to
enable him to beat through it. Putting his helm down, his schooner came
heavily round, and was filled on a course that soon carried her half a
mile into this passage. At first, everything seemed propitious, the
channel rather opening than otherwise, while the course was
such--north-north-west--as enabled the vessel to very long legs on one
tack, and that the best. After going about four or five times, however,
all these flattering symptoms suddenly changed, by the passage's
terminating in a _cul de sac_. Almost at the same instant the ice closed
rapidly in the schooner's wake. An effort was made to run back, but it
failed in consequence of an enormous floe's turning on its centre, having
met resistance from a field closer in, that was, in its turn, stopped by
the rocks. Roswell saw at once that nothing could be done at the moment.
He took in all his canvass, as well as the frozen cloth could be handled,
got out ice-anchors, and hauled his vessel into a species of cove where
there would be the least danger of a nip, should the fields continue to
close.

All this time Daggett was as busy as a bee. He rounded the headland, and
flattered hims