Chap. XIII.]
GALE AT THE PACK EDGE.
367
1843
sprays freezing as they fell upon the rigging and decks, rendered it difficult to work the ropes, while the extreme darkness of the night kept us in continual apprehension of collision with some of the bergs which at times it seemed almost impossible to avoid.
I need not say it was a night of deep anxiety to us all: and the necessary degree of composure and peace of mind required to meet it, could only result from a firm reliance upon the guidance and protection of Almighty God, who had preserved us under equally perilous circumstances.
Throughout this fearful night and the whole of March 7.the next day, we could not perceive the least mitigation of the gale; but it favoured us by veering rather more to the eastward; soon after dark, when we were preparing to pass another anxious night, the wind suddenly abated, and at midnight we had a light air from the westward. A calm March 8. of six hours' duration succeeded; after which the north-east wind came on with scarcely less fury than before; but by our observations we found we had gained some ground, and had no longer any dread of being driven down upon the pack. At noon our latitude was 70° 28′ S., longitude 17° 21′ W., magnetic dip 65° 1′ S., variation 0°.16′ W. Our only remaining difficulty now, was to avoid the bergs with which, as during the former gale, we were several times nearly in collision; the heavy sea which broke against the perpendicular face of one of them fell on board our