Perils of the deep : being an account of some of the remarkable shipwrecks and disasters at sea during the last hundred years . and their sufferings were could only expect that when the tide ebbed theship would be rent in pieces by the shocks of thefloating ice. The night was bitterly cold ; all aroundwas veiled in impenetrable darkness ; and the fast-falling snow, beating against their faces, wrappedthem in its icy folds. The decks were so slipperythat it was scarcely possible to stand, much less totake active exercise, and all they could do was tocrouch under any sheltering obj
Perils of the deep : being an account of some of the remarkable shipwrecks and disasters at sea during the last hundred years . and their sufferings were could only expect that when the tide ebbed theship would be rent in pieces by the shocks of thefloating ice. The night was bitterly cold ; all aroundwas veiled in impenetrable darkness ; and the fast-falling snow, beating against their faces, wrappedthem in its icy folds. The decks were so slipperythat it was scarcely possible to stand, much less totake active exercise, and all they could do was tocrouch under any sheltering object, and screen them-selves as they best might from the driving passed the fearful night, and when at last the 256 PERILS OF THE DEEP. morning broke it brought little relief; for now thewind had increased, the drift of ice had reached ashigh as the cabin windows, and, from the concussionof the heavy masses, the ship had suffered so much,that it appeared to every one but too certain that shewould soon go to pieces. It was now proposed by Mr. Grenville that thecrew, as the only means of saving their lives, should. endeavour to effect their passage across the ice toNewark Island. The attempt appeared to CaptainWallis to present but little prospect of was six miles off; they had no guide todirect them ; they were exhausted by cold andfatigue ; they were buried in a dense fog, and aheavy snow-storm was falling ; and the chance BOAT VOYAGES. 257 seemed small indeed of their finding their way forsuch a distance over a shifting field of ice. Still,in this desperate undertaking, the only remaininghope of safety appeared to rest, and as the crewwere unanimous in wishing to make the trial, he atlength gave his consent. No time was lost in carrying out the plan. Thepeople were divided into four companies, each underthe leadership of an officer. A number of the menwho had suffered least from fatigue were chosen tocarry planks, to be laid down over dangerous spotsor
Size: 2120px × 1178px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectshipwrecks, bookyear1
