Our prospect was now more alarming than at any preceding
period; and it would be difficult for me to portray the anxiety and
dismay depicted on the countenances of the female passengers and
children, who were rushing on deck in spite of the endeavours of the
officers to keep them below, out of the danger which was apprehended
if the masts should be carried away. After the first concussion,
the ship was driven along the steep and rugged side of this
iceberg with such amazing rapidity, that the destruction of the masts
seemed inevitable, and every one expected we should again be forced
on the rocks in the most disabled state; but we providentially
escaped this perilous result, which must have been decisive.
The dense fog now cleared away for a short time, and we discovered
the Eddystone close to' some rocks, having three boats employed
in towing; but the Wear was not visible.
Our ship received water very fast; the pumps were instantly
manned and kept in continual use, and signals of distress were made
to the Eddystone, whose commander promptly came on board, and
then ordered to our assistance his carpenter and all the men he
could spare, together with the carpenter and boat’s crew of the Wear,
who had gone on board the Eddystone in the morning, and were
prevented from returning to their own vessel by the fog. As the
wind was increasing, and the sky appeared very unsettled, it was
determined the Eddystone should take the ship in tow, that the
undivided attention of the passengers and crew might be directed to
pumping, and clearing the holds to examine whether there was a
possibility of stopping the leak. We soon had reason to suppose the
principal injury had been received from a blow near the stern-post,
and, after cutting away part of the ceiling, the carpenters endeavoured
to stop the rushing in of the water, by forcing oakum between
the timbers; but this had not the desired effect, and the leak, in
spite of all our efforts at the pumps, increased so much, that parties
of the officers and passengers were stationed to bail out the water in
buckets at different parts of the hold. A heavy gale came on, blowing
from the land, as the night advanced; the sails were split, the
ship was encompassed by heavy ice, and, in forcing through a closely-
connected stream, the tow-rope broke, and obliged us to take a
portion of the seamen from the pumps, and appoint them to the
management of the ship.
Fatigue, indeed, had caused us to relax in our exertions at the
pumps during a part of the night of the 8th, and on the following
morning upwards of five feet water was found in the well. Renewed
exertions were now put forth by every person, and before eight, A.M.
the water was so much reduced as to enable the carpenters to get at
other defective places; but the remedies they could apply were
insufficient to repress the water from rushing in, and our labours
could but just keep the ship in the same state throughout the day,
until six P.M .; when the strength of every one began to fail, the
expedient of thrusting in felt, as well as oakum, was resorted to, and a
plank nailed over all. After this operation a perceptible diminution
in the water was made, and being encouraged by the change, we put
forth our utmost exertion in bailing and pumping ; and before night,
to our infinite joy, the leak was so overpowered that the pumps were
only required to be used at intervals of ten minutes. A sail, covered
with every substance that could be carried into the leaks by the
pressure of the water was drawn under the quarter of the ship, and
secured by ropes on each side.
As a matter of precaution in the event of having to abandon the
ship, which was for some time doubtful, the elderly women and children
were removed to the Eddystone when the wind was moderate this
afternoon, but the young women remained to assist at the pumps,
and their services were highly valuable, both for their personal
labour, and for the encouragement their example and perseverance
gave to the men.
At day-light, on the 9th, every eye was anxiously cast around the
horizon in search of the Wear, but in vain ; and the recollection of