Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/68

Rh strongly from W. and W.N.W. Soon the ice yet in the vicinity of the vessel began to move, and in heavy patches came toward the ship. All the crew had retired to rest, except the captain and myself, but the men were quickly called up to ward off the threatened danger. On came the ice, directly toward the ship. A portion struck the cable, and strained it till the metal tinkled like steel. Fortunately, a projecting point of Cooper's Island partly arrested the entire floe of ice, and thus broke the shock; yet the strain upon the ship's cable was intense. Men were ordered to get THE GHOST OF THE "RESCUE."

over the bow on to the floe with chisels and other implements, to cut away that portion pressing upon the chains, which was done after some hard work. But we fully believed the ship was dragging her anchor, and at this precise moment, lo! the immortal Rescue was seen, like the ghost in Hamlet, emerging from the mist, and moving on from near Cooper's Island