Chap. VIII.]
COLLISION.
217
1842
During the next three days we made rapid progress to the eastward, experiencing strong southerly winds and severe weather, but we met only four or five bergs during a run of several hundred miles, and began to think we had got to the northward of their latitude. On the afternoon of March 12.the 12th, however, several were seen during thick weather, and whilst we were running, under all the sail we could carry, to a strong north westerly breeze. In the evening the wind increased so much, and the snow showers became so incessant, that we were obliged to proceed under more moderate sail. Numerous small pieces of ice were also met with, warning us of the presence of bergs, concealed by the thickly falling snow: before midnight I directed the topsails to be close-reefed, and every arrangement made for rounding to until daylight, deeming it too hazardous to run any longer: our people had hardly completed these operations when a large berg was seen ahead, and quite close to us; the ship was immediately hauled to the wind on the port tack, with the expectation of being able to weather it; but just at this moment the Terror was observed running down upon us, under her top-sails and foresail; and as it was impossible for her to clear both the berg and the Erebus, collision was inevitable. We instantly hove all aback to diminish the violence of the shock; but the concussion when she struck us was such as to throw almost every one off his feet; our bowsprit, fore-
