At two A.M. on the 5th, the ice began to slacken near the ships, and, as soon as a boat could be rowed alongshore to the southward, I set out, accompanied by a second from the Fury, for the purpose of examining the state of our intended harbour since the recent pressure, and to endeavour to prepare for the reception of the ships by clearing out the loose ice.  The Fury was detained some time by a quantity of loose ice, which had wedged itself in in such a manner as to leave her no room to move outward; but she arrived about seven o’clock, when both ships were made fast in the best berths we could find, but they were excluded from their intended place by the quantity of ice which had fixed itself there.  Within twenty minutes after our arrival, the whole body of ice again came in, entirely closing up the shore, so that our moving proved most opportune.

CHAPTER VI.

Formation of a Basin for heaving the Fury down.—­Landing of the Fury’s Stores, and other Preparations.—­The Ships secured within the Basin.—­Impediments from the Pressure of the Ice.—­Fury hove down.—­Securities of the Basin destroyed by a Gale of Wind.—­Preparations to tow the Fury out.—­Hecla Re-equipped, and obliged to put to Sea.—­Fury again driven on Shore.—­Rejoin the Fury; and find it necessary finally to abandon her.

As there was now no longer room for floating the ice out of the proposed basin, all hands were immediately employed in preparing the intended securities against the incursions of the ice.  These consisted of anchors carried to the beach, having bower-cables attached to them, passing quite round the grounded masses, and thus enclosing a small space of just sufficient size to admit both ships.  The cables we proposed floating by means of the two hand-masts and some empty casks lashed to them as buoys, with the intention of thus making them receive the pressure of the ice a foot or two below the surface of the water.  By uncommon exertions on the part of the officers and men, this laborious work was completed before night as far as was practicable until the loose ice should set out; and all the tents were set up on the beach for the reception of the Fury’s stores.

The ice remaining quite close on the 6th, every individual in both ships, with the exception of those at the pumps, was employed in landing provisions from the Fury, together with the spars, boats, and everything from off her upper deck.  On the following day, the ice remaining as before, the work was continued without intermission, and a great quantity of things landed.  The armorer was also set to work on the beach in forging bolts for the martingales of the outriggers.  In short, every living creature among us was somehow or other employed, not even excepting our dogs, which were set to drag up the stores on the beach; so that our little dock-yard soon exhibited the most animated scene imaginable.  The Fury was thus so much lightened in the course of the day, that two pumps were now nearly sufficient to keep her free, and this number continued requisite until she was hove down.